The Light of Liberty
by FuzzyBeta
Summary: Layla Singh thought she had found freedom with the Augments at last. However her journey is far from over. When an archaic radical group resurface to destroy everything she cares for, Layla finds herself torn between the family she loves, the challenges of the new world she lives in and what it really means to be human. (Sequel to The Dark Before Dawn)
1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

What is life?

According to the dictionary life means: the existence of an individual human being or animal that is not dead.

But the dictionary is not alive. It does not breathe. Does not think. Does not move, does not exist like you or I. In many ways one might consider it dead. So to the book called the dictionary, life really doesn't mean anything.

But to people…Life means everything…

Some people believe it originated from the thoughts and actions of a great omniscient being. In some instances it is also true that some people believe that there are more than just one of these kinds of deities, and that they all created life by co-operating (or warring) with one another.

Some believe that life was a process of creatures evolving from one state to another. The cell became a cluster of cells which became an organism, which grew into creatures, which in turn grew into other creatures. In short, these people believed that given the right circumstances, one atom could adapt over a massive amount of time to survive.

But to Layla Serena Singh, life didn't start with single celled organisms nor spiritual entities.

To her life started when she first saw the bright light of the surgeon's operating theatre as she was carefully prized out of her mother's womb.

The hands that had held her were covered in rubbery plastic gloves. Their texture though soft to their bearers felt unbelievably harsh against her barely touched, blood and placenta covered skin.

Then…then there was the noise.

Noise was everywhere.

People were murmuring, some loud, some soft, but all in garble that she would not understand till a few years later. Then there were the smaller noises. People putting down instruments on a table, heavy breaths, the beeping of monitors, the scraping of feet as someone shuffled on the ground.

Smells too were very disturbing. As she breathed through her nostrils, which had been freed from the fluids that had surrounded her, the air felt cold and harsh and horrible. The mixture of strong soaps, blood, sweat and bodily oils from the nearest person's skin, were the most prominent and unfamiliar.

Unfamiliar… cold…and frightening.

This was how life had begun for her.

But it certainly wasn't going to end that way.

Not if she had anything to say about it.

* * *

Hi guys...I'm Ba~ack!

:)

hope you guys enjoy this little taster. the first chapter of this sequel should be up soon.

if you haven't read my first fic The Dark Before Dawn, i suggest you should, not for anything else but for the fact that the premise of this story will make more sense if you do.

Read and review for more 3


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Many Happy Returns**

**Star-date: 2259.218**

There was nothing quite like silence of the early morning. It was that one moment in the day when even the great big Space Station that orbited the planet Earth, was completely still and at peace.

It was these moments that Khan Noonien Singh liked to wake up.

Blinking sleepily he rose out of the dark sheets that covered him and the large bed he slept in. With a small yawn he ran a hand over his face, pushing back the dark fringe that was flopping over one side of his face.

As he did this something grunted softly.

Corners of the mouth twitching upwards ever so slightly, he glanced sidelong to a figure coiled in the sheets beside him.

It was a woman, petite with pale snow like skin and long strawberry blonde curls that were splayed everywhere over the pillow and her half covered naked body in a massive heap.

"Good morning" the woman's mouth twitched upwards in a small smile as he made to lean over her.

"Good morning Helene" Khan's voice was low and soft as two pinpricks of bright green, peeked sleepily through her hair as he pressed his lips against her brow. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted, I barely got a wink of sleep. No thanks to you" Helene snorted and Khan smirked with pride and amusement.

"And yet I recall you being the one _begging_ me not to stop" he purred as his hand reached out to finger the golden ring sitting upon her left ring finger.

But before he could even graze his fingers over the band, Helene tugged her hand away, a grumpy pout gracing her features as she puffed.

"Excuse me? But I don't _beg_, least of all when we're together"

Had this not been his wife, Khan might've been almightily offended by such a statement. But considering the overwhelming proof of her gratification (i.e. the small but prominent bruise on the crook of her neck, and the still slightly sore scratches on his back) he instead chose to smile ever so slightly with satisfaction and lean back to sit against the bed headboard.

He stared around at the room before him, brow furrowing ever so slightly as he took in a small glimmer of blue in the corner where a couple of boxes wrapped in black paper with blue ribbons tied neatly were sitting.

Now it was Helene's turn to smirk up at him.

"You're worried" she murmured softly as she reached out to touch his arm.

"Aren't you?" he muttered avoiding her eye even as she made to curl up beside him, her smile widening.

"Not as much as I thought I'd be. Truth be told I'm surprised you're so fidgety. Usually you're more composed than I am, even on operations"

"Yes well…" Khan mumbled even more quietly "Giving out orders to troops in battle is one thing. Organising our daughter's birthday was _not_ something I was never trained for."

"Oh I don't know" Helene quietly whispered as she pressed her lips against his shoulder. "You've done well raising her so far on your own…better than I had at any rate…" she added, her voice turning a little bit bitter.

But Khan just shook his head and sighed heavily into a hand.

"No Helene…I wasn't. By the time I had gotten my head around what to do, she had more or less raised herself, into someone far better than anything I could've made her."

There was silence in the room as both husband and wife sat side by side, their faces both stricken as they stared out into the space before the bed.

Occasionally their stillness was interrupted by Helene occasionally leaning over and kissing at the skin of Khan's shoulder, whilst he in turn ran his thumb over the skin of her knuckles, tracing invisible patterns over the snow white skin.

It was as he was beginning to trace a figure eight over her ring finger, their door hissed open.

The sound was so sudden, that Khan actually jumped a little and Helene squeaked as she made to pull up the sheets over them both to cover their nakedness.

However when they caught sight of the short shadowy figure walking towards them from the shutting door they both stiffened.

It was a young woman, short in height, only standing at about 5'4" at most. Her hair was as black as night and cut short in an a-symmetrical bob, some of which fell over her icy blue eyes which were blank and staring ahead as she began to walk towards them.

"Layla" Khan hissed, his eyes narrowing as she came closer.

On closer inspection he saw face was devoid of all emotion, in fact it appeared to be so slack it was almost frightening.

Even Helene was looking very alarmed as she glanced sidelong at Khan who gave her a very tiny shake of the head.

Carefully and as silently as a cat he made to slide his way over to the side of the bed, reaching down deftly to pick up his pants from the floor and slip them on.

But Layla didn't seem to care, she only continued to approach the bed until her foot caught something on the floor.

"Layla!" Helene cried out as the shadow of Layla suddenly dropped to the floor with a thud.

"Lights" Khan clipped as he quickly dashed over to where the fallen girl was stirring bleary eyed and groaning in pain.

"Ow…what the?"

She looked up as a pair of hands carefully but quickly rolled her over onto her back.

"Father?" Layla blinked as the face of her father came quickly into focus under the newly lit light.

Khan sighed heavily in relief as he gently helped his daughter to sit up.

"Where…how-" she shivered doing her best to contain herself as his fingers all but burned into her skin.

"You were sleepwalking" Khan steamrolled over her smoothly, his hands carefully making to cup her cheeks. Gently he angled her head from side to side, his eyes roving along with his fingers as they felt around for any unusual sign.

However all they were to find was a small bump on the side just above the top of her ear.

"Hurts like a bitch but otherwise I'm fine" Layla muttered in response to his unanswered question.

Gingerly he helped her stand up, only for her to sway ominously.

"Ok maybe not so fine" Layla grunted as she all but fell into her father who smirked softly and shook his head as he led her to sit on the foot of the bed.

As she was settled down, Helene sat down beside her and pulled her in for a hug.. Whilst her husband had tended to their daughter, she had quickly dressed herself in her underwear and his abandoned shirt.

Layla could not help but flush a little pink as she noticed the smell of her father mingling oddly with her mother's scent as her face was squashed against her mother's chest.

"Sorry" she muttered softly. "I didn't mean to interrupt"

"It was lucky you came when you did" Khan snorted as he stood up. "Or else that would have been very awkward"

"Khan" Helene gave him a small glare that only made his smirk widen and Layla's blush worsen.

"It's alright Layla. You didn't interrupt anything. We'd finished some time ago"

"So I _heard_"

Now it was Khan's turn to look uncomfortable as his daughter looked at him with raised eyebrows.

However he was quick to overcome his emotions and process her statement.

"You were up late again?"

"Just thinking that's all" Layla muttered.

"You seem to be doing a lot of that nowadays" Khan's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, in spite of his wife's now stern glower at him.

But Layla wasn't fazed much.

"I have a lot to think about." She shrugged but when Khan didn't look convinced she sighed.

"Alright…I was just thinking about…well…what's going to happen now about…"

"About the three us?" Helene finished quietly and she nodded.

"Yes…and the others…and the other ten-"

"No Layla" Khan said firmly his eyes hardening to ice "I've said it before and I'll say it again. You're not going to help us catch them"

"But father!" Layla groaned, in which exasperation and pent up frustration all rolled into one sound. "I was trained to do this kind of thing-"

"I do not doubt your skills Layla." Khan clipped doing his best to try and sound softer than he did at the moment, but it was difficult "But you have your own duties to follow. The Federation has made that deal"

"It's a stupid deal and we both know it! I could be more help on the ground with you two than attending goddamn school!" Layla snapped and she would've jumped to her feet had her mother not held her down firmly by her shoulders.

"Sweetheart, please understand. This part of the deal was not something your father or I had arranged, and Starfleet are refusing to let it drop."

"Why though?" Layla pinched her nose "Why do Hawke and I have to go to the Academy? Why not send him with Damian or Ronan or someone else? They'd have more of a chance at fitting in than I ever would."

"I am not sure" Khan frowned rubbing his temple "Ronan thinks it's because they might want to see how you and Hawke both fare living amongst other humans. So far, the two of you have been the most socially acceptable out of us. That and given the fact that the two of you are young, and that you especially have more of a grasp of modern technology and customs you might find it easier to adapt."

"In short, they want solid proof that us Augment's can and will survive and co-operate with other humans and the Federation" Helene finished for him.

Layla rolled her eyes. "Great! Once again I'm the Federation's guinea pig"

"yes for now you are…albeit a strong and intelligent superiorly augmented _pint_ size guinea pig," the corners of Khan's lips curled upwards with amusement as Layla scowled up at him.

"Not funny-and I'm not pint sized!...just petite…" she added in a mumble, her cheeks flushing again as Khan gave a soft chuckle.

He reached out and stroked his hand over the top of her dark head of hair.

"Layla" he purred softly as he stroked back her bangs from her face. "The reason I don't want you to assist us in finding the Ten, isn't because I doubt your abilities. Far from it. You have raw skills and talent in many areas that even your mother and I, and even the missing ten have not. But the one thing the others do have over you is refinement. And that unfortunately is something that can only be achieved by training over time. The Missing Ten know this. And god forbid they refuse to co-operate with our new ways and -"

He stopped suddenly in his tracks. Layla frowned looking between Khan and Helene, who was now giving her husband the "stop talking look".

However the damage was done and Layla's eyes narrowed suspiciously at them both.

"What do you mean?"

Neither of them answered.

"Father" Layla growled feeling her mental barrier begin to be pushed by a familiar rather aggressive force, like it always did when she was being lied to. "What has happened?"

But before Khan could even open his mouth, the door to the room opened again with a hiss.

"Lord Khan! Khan! Layla's disappeared a…gain…" the voice of a young man trailed off as all the occupants of the room turned to look in his direction.

It was a young man, fairly tall and lean, with white blonde hair and stormy grey eyes that were currently turning from panic to surprise as his gaze found the family of three.

"Oh…she's here…" he gulped eyes darting between Khan and Layla, the former of whom clipped tersely.

"Yes Hawke, Layla is quite safe now."

Hawke felt his cheeks flush a little red with embarrassment as his leader as quirked an eyebrow coolly at him.

"Oh father stop it would you" Layla rolled her eyes only to pause as she caught sight of something small in the other teenager's hands. It looked oddly enough like a box.

"What's that?"

"What's what?" Hawke's cheeks went even redder as he hid the box behind his back.

"That present for her which you are trying to hide" Khan smirked ignoring Helene's exasperated groan and shaking of the head, as he quickly snatched behind the younger male's back.

"Hey!" Hawke cried out but too late, Khan had already opened it and looked inside.

His face turned stony.

"What? What is it?" Layla asked confusedly but Khan shoved the box back into Hawke's face with a scowl before tossing it to her.

Layla caught it, looking utterly befuddled as she examined it. It was small, only just big enough to fit into the palm of her hand, and made of black leather with a silver crescent moon embossed on the top.

She quietly looked up at Hawke her icy blue eyes strangely lost as she mumbled.

"Uh thanks…what is it?"

"Open it and find out" Helene smiled gently beside her.

Layla frowned, but nonetheless did as she was told, albeit quite apprehensively. It didn't help that her father was watching her expression very closely as she made to prize the box open.

The inside was lined with silver silk, in which a small white cushion seemed to have been placed. On this cushion rested something silvery and shiny.

As delicately as if she were going to diffuse a bomb, she lifted the trinket.

It was a thin long chain, on which at the end was looped a small silver pendant in the shape of a crescent moon, almost exactly like the one printed on the box. It glinted prettily even in the dim artificial light above.

"happybirthdayLay" Hawke cursed himself the moment the words tumbled out of his mouth.

"Huh?" Layla's eyebrows rose in astonishment.

Hawke mumbled something under his breath so softly that no one caught a word.

Even Khan looked confused, though his expression was laced with amusement, rather like his wife, though she had more tact to keep calm and composed as she translated:

"I think what dear Andy is trying to say, is Happy Birthday"

There was a very pregnant pause as Layla blinked blankly around at the room.

"uh…Happy what?"

She sounded so astonished that even Hawke forgot to feel so embarrassed.

"Well…birthday y'know, the day you were born…like today… the sixth of August."

He looked to Layla who just shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeah? What's so important about that? I was born on this date so what? why do I have to be happy about it?"

Quietly Hawke exchanged a small glance with Helene who likewise was looking slightly perturbed by the question.

Neither of them had ever expected this reaction.

Khan however was quick to put a hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"A birthday is the anniversary of the day on which a person is born. Often it is treated as a cause for celebration. On such occasions it is often traditional that others give gift's to the one whose birth is being celebrated"

"And mine is worthy of being celebrated?" Layla didn't say it with any bitterness. Rather her voice had taken on the irritability of one very sane who had just been asked to do something ridiculous and insane, for no particular reason.

"Of course, why shouldn't it be" Khan said, and he did it so offhandedly too, as if it were the most obvious answer in the world.

And yet in spite of his casualness, Layla could not have felt happier, though she hid it behind a fairly calm composed mask. Though even that was quick to crack slightly as she caught sight of the small pile of wrapped gift boxes on her father's bedside table.

_Are all those for me_

Her eyes seemed to speak far louder than whatever words died in her throat.

Khan gave her a small nod that looked as calm as a cucumber though his icy eyes were wells of anxiety and slight pity as his daughter timidly approached the pile of presents of which there were three.

Her hands almost shook as she took the top most one which was strangely cylindrically shaped and felt surprisingly heavy for its size.

With careful precision she made to open the wrapping barely tearing the paper a fraction with her sharp slender nails.

She looked down inside.

And smiled wide…

* * *

The atmosphere was surprisingly calm as they all sat on grass in the middle of a forest. Actually it wasn't really a forest. They were still on the star-base, in a section of one of the private sector's that was both park and greenhouse.

But even so it was a good change of scenery considering the sterile hell they had all just been through.

Khan couldn't help but smirk softly to himself as he looked around at his wife and his four followers all of whom were actually sleeping on the grass enjoying whatever warm artificial light that substituted for sunlight that streamed through the greenhouse roof.

It had been a long time since he'd had even the freedom to just sit and be like this and he wasn't going to waste a second of it.

And neither was Layla it seemed.

She was laying down on her front just a few feet away from them, resting on her elbows as she looked down on a blank page of a blank sketch book. Actually she was glaring at it with frustration, as she chewed on the end of a pencil.

She had been doing that for a while now. Staring down at the page like she were trying to decipher an annoyingly cryptic code.

His smirk widened ever so slightly as Layla huffed in a horse like manner, blowing up strands of her short black hair up from her forehead.

When it fell back in the way of her eyes she growled softly under her breath and at once began to run her hands through her hair, slicking it back away from her face.

And whether because it was just so short or it was just textured like that, the black locks miraculously stayed slicked back in place with only a couple of tiny short wisps falling on her forehead.

Adorable was a word that Khan had once thought to be revolting. It was in his opinion an adjective that only a lesser person would ever succumbed to using to endear something. And Khan very rarely endeared things or people, save those very, very close.

It wasn't that he was unsociable and cold (though that was usually everyone's first impression of him), but for him attachments were a very sacred.

Forming true bonds took time, effort, patience and trust, all of which were valuable resources when it came to survival amongst a race of people with a genetic predisposition to thinking like warriors and spies.

And yet for some reason when it came to his own child (of whom he still barely knew for a couple of months) he had not hesitated to endear her so swiftly and selfishly to himself. And now as he sat here, the word adoration, though still revolting as a word, was perhaps the only phrase he could use at this moment to describe how she looked to him now, an almost carbon copy of his image.

_Fatherhood is a strange thing…_

He could not help but think quietly to himself as he continued to watch Layla mull over what to draw.

_Strange…but satisfying all the same…the next events are almost always unpredicta-_

There was the thumping of footsteps on the ground and both Khan and Layla looked up as a shadow began to fall over the grass.

"Well…you guys look comfortable" the voice of a man smirked though it was jovial and teasing, at least it was to Layla who smiled widely up at the newcomer.

"and you look very official. Jim"

James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk, gave a crooked grin, revealing a set of straight white teeth that flashed just as brightly as his sandy blonde hair. In short it was the grin that made normal girl's swoon…but not Layla, who was quick to check out a large strange case in his arms with holes at the top.

"What's in the box?" she frowned curiously as she audibly sniffed the air. It smelt faintly of scented soap mixed with something musky.

"Someone who's very excited to see you again" Jim's glanced at Khan, who stiffened ever so slightly.

He had a bad feeling about this.

Indeed as Jim Kirk made to squat to the ground and open the perforated lid of the box his blue eyes twinkled with derisive mischief.

"Happy birthday"

There was a loud mewling sound as something furry and grey shot out of the box and straight to Layla her face splitting into a smile of wondrous delight as she squealed.

"Hubble!"

_That damned critter!_

It took Khan all his willpower not to groan out loud in frustrated despair as the small silver grey cat purred loudly, rubbing himself against Layla's face as she held him close and kissed his small nose.

"Yeah, yeah I know I missed you too buddy" she laughed before looking back up at Jim "I thought he was going to be released from quarantine next week"

"He was…but from yesterday Bones and the other scientists studying him had found out all they could from him so there was no point in waiting. They only have one condition. He has to wear this." the Starfleet captain added with a playful sternness as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue collar. On it had a small round silver tag where the name "Hubble" had been engraved in a classic all caps font.

"The little guy's hard to catch hold of when he makes a run for it. That's why he spent so long in quarantine, he wouldn't allow Bones to even touch him. Though that might have been Bone's fault for giving him a hypospray at their first meeting" Jim added and was pleased to get a small giggle from Layla who took the collar from him and began to clip it around the feline's neck.

It didn't oppose her, though it did look rather grumpy at the prospect of wearing its new accessory.

"Oh don't give me that look." Layla chided the small animal gently as she straightened the collar "there, now you look handsome."

"Thanks"

"Not talking to you"

Khan snorted as the young Starfleet captain actually pouted as Layla smirked up at him.

"Should've seen that one coming." He muttered and reached out quickly, his hand affectionately ruffling Layla's short dark head of hair, much to her irritation. "Happy Birthday Tiger."

"Hey! I just brushed that!" she growled. But Jim only chuckled as he stood up once more.

"I'll be coming round with Spock to pick you up tomorrow o'nine hundred."

"Huh? Pick me up?" Layla blinked as she tried to right her now black birdsnest that sat atop of her head.

"For your meeting with Admiral Barnett tomorrow."

"oh right" Layla's face fell quickly "the Academy"

"Yeah…" Jim frowned, crouching down again as the younger girl turned her eyes back down to Hubble's grey fur. "Hey…what's up? I thought you said you wanted to go?"

"No I do it's just…" she trailed off glancing at the Augments' around her, including Khan whose eyes narrowed.

"We've discussed this already Layla. You're not going to be involved in the search" he said with such a steely edge to his voice that made Jim even shudder.

However the younger man was quick to pull himself together and gave what he hoped was his most encouraging smile.

"Hey…its not gonna be that bad. Besides if what Admiral Barnett has planned about your education, the Academy is gonna keep your hands full"

"What do you mean _planned_?" Layla frowned suspiciously as did Khan though his expression was more dangerous than curious.

"It's nothing bad" Jim rolled his eyes "at least it's going to be nowhere near the level of Marcus and Lance were setting for you, but it will be tough enough to be getting on with if you start to develop a big social life. trust me"

"If I even get any social life" Layla muttered more to herself than to anyone else.

"Ah you're gonna be fine!" Jim waved her off with a grin "It's your birdbrain boyfriend I'm more worried about"

To say that Khan had gone tense was a great massive universal understatement. At the word "boyfriend" his entire back went rigid, right down from the tailbone to the top of his head, and his eyes narrowed dangerously.

When he spoke it was with such gritted teeth that his voice was even muffled ever so slightly.

"Aren't you supposed to be meeting your superiors soon about your ship?"

"Father" Layla pinched her nose as Jim's friendly smile vanished clean off his face.

"That meeting isn't for another few hours." He said just as tersely, "but if you have a problem with that and want me to leave, just say it outright and I will"

"Oh really?" Khan sneered in a mocking intrigue as he slowly stood up "You'll just drop everything and go at my beck and call. Wouldn't you much rather trample everywhere at your own leisure like you always do so childishly?"

"Father stop it!" Layla tried but too late Jim had risen up to the bait and had snapped at it angrily.

"Listen I'm trying to be considerate. But oh wait I forgot, you Augments think kindness is a fault for the weak minded inferiors"

"Jim no-" Layla groaned as her father's face contorted, his fury now lighting his eyes so that they were icy blizzards as he stormed over to Jim and snarled in his face.

"Do not lecture me on the merits of compassion Kirk. Do I need to remind you of the many times your own precious Starfleet preached about the need for civil equality, only to throw it away at the first sign of something new just because it's different? You yourself sought to end me when we first met without a thought as to why my actions ever took place because of what I was?"

"Oh don't play the family card Khan" Jim roared "You slaughtered a room full of innocent people in cold blood when you only really needed to kill one. Oh and whilst we're on the subject of remembering things, let's not forget it was you who crashed a ship into a city with a starship and killed hundreds of people in one go!"

"Whereas you were ready to commit genocide in order to uphold the values those supposed _innocent_ senior officers ha-"

"SHUT UP! Just both of you shut up!"

There was silence as both Khan and Jim wheeled around to see Layla standing to her feet, clutching a very quiet Hubble tight to her chest. Her eyes were very bright and when she made to speak again, her voice cracked and choked.

"How-How can the two of you keep going on like this? After all those times you two have worked together to make this opportunity for a treaty come together, you'll just chuck it away to assault and snap each other like a pair of-of _savages! _ And for what?! For WHAT?! your own pride! Hasn't all the mess of the past years taught either of you anything about civility and humanity?!"

Both Khan and Jim's eyes widened as she shook her head and a tear accidently escaped her fragile barrier of control.

But worse still, was the sentence that she spat out at them with all the bitterness and disappointment life had to offer.

"I thought both of you were better than that…I really did…"

Scrubbing her wet eyes furiously she turned on her heel, leaving both men to stare after her as she stalked off into the nearby trees.

Khan lurched forwards as she began to dwindle into the distance without sign of stopping, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

He turned ready to snarl, only to stop short when he caught sight of his wife.

"I think you and Mr Kirk have both done enough damage for one day, dearest" She glowered angrily at both him and Jim who had the decency to look down at his toes like an ashamed schoolboy.

"I…I guess I'll be off then" he nodded before quickly dashing away from the spot.

Khan however ignored him and continued to stare hard into the trees where a dark head of hair had just vanished from sight.

* * *

TADAA! *slams a set of golden double doors door open* BOOM BABY!

Sorry guys just excited to be back to writing once more for this sequel.

finally got rid of a couple of the horrible writers blocks in my head for this fandom, and then i had to start doing some more research for the next chapter. So yeah...the Light of liberty is finally setting off. so sit back, grab some popcorn and prepare yourself to be warped or beamed into more drama and adventure because this is going to be one long ride.

hope you guys enjoyed and keep r&amp;Ring for more


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: An Admiral Exposition**

Layla wasn't sure for how long she wandered about the starbase or how far she had gone. But by the time she had reached her own quarters carrying a sleeping Hubble in her arms, she knew it was very late.

After quickly typing in the security code she slipped inside, yawning wide.

Augment though she was, thinking and walking could really take a toll on oneself, especially when they were upset.

After settling her pet feline into a small but comfily cushioned wickerwork basket on the floor at the foot of her bed she made to the bathroom, showered quickly and got dressed to go to bed.

_Oh that feels better!_

She sighed softly as she tucked her feet into a pair of warm black slippers.

_Right! Now just a quick bite and then I'll hit the-_

There was a knock at the door and she paused, looking around nervously.

"Eris" she called looking towards a black cube that sat on her bedside. "Run scan of hallway outside"

"_Scan complete_" A female computerized voice announced to the room at large. "_One life form detected and analysed_. _Name: Richard Thelonious Barnett, Rank: Starfleet Admiral_" Eris replied mechanically.

"Barnett?" Layla frowned to the door.

_What the hell is he doing here now? I thought I was going to see him yesterday._

"Eris" she called again "Are you sure it's just him on his own?"

"_yes Agent Spectre_" Eris replied "_he is the only lifeform my scanners can pick up at immediate range."_

"uh ok then…umm…send him in but keep security protocols up to level nine"

"_As you wish Agent Spectre_"

There was a hiss and the doors opened.

Layla stood up, folding her arms and doing her best to not show her confusion or her nerves as a man stepped slowly into the room. He was tall and still garbed in his strict white and grey flag-officer's jacket that made his dark skin seem even darker in the dim light of her room.

His brown eyes were surveying the young girl cautiously as he made to stand before her.

"Layla Singh, I am Admiral Richard Barnett"

"I know" Layla blurted out before she could stop herself. "I…I thought to research your background earlier today"

If Admiral Barnett was surprised at this exclamation he did not show it. Instead he said:

"if that's the case then you'll know who I am and what I do for the Academy"

"Yes" Layla nodded and then suddenly remembering who she was talking to she spluttered.

"Um…would you like to sit down sir" she added quickly remembering protocol.

"If that is alright with you Miss Singh" Barnett nodded and politely followed Layla till she led him to her small lounge where they both took a seat opposite one another.

"Anything to drink sir?" Layla offered but she already knew the answer before Barnett had said no, for his eyes showed no signs of distraction from his purpose.

_He wants something from me…_

Her lips pursed stiffly as she watched him open his mouth to speak.

"Miss Singh, I understand you must be concerned about why I am here" Barnett watched as Layla made to tilt her head to the side.

"Concerned? No sir, not concerned. Just surprised. I thought I was going to see you tomorrow"

"And so you were" Barnett replied coolly. "however considering the circumstances at hand I thought it would be easier to talk to you sooner rather than later"

_Sooner and off record…_

She thought, but she said out loud:

"Oh. I guess that makes sense." And indeed it did. It stood to reason that after hearing that she was unsure about going to Starfleet Academy that Jim would inform his very eager superiors. Whatever Barnett wanted from her, he wanted it badly.

But how badly? Badly enough to use her as Marcus had done before?

_Play it dumb, find his angle asap and refuse point blank._

"So Sir. What did you want to talk about?" she smiled pleasantly

However Barnett's eyes hardened considerably as he leaned forwards to say softly.

"Miss Singh, I may not be an Augment, but I know an act when I see one?"

"An act sir?" Layla blinked oh so innocently even though she knew the game was up, though she was still having fun playing it. "I thought you were here to-"

"You know exactly why I'm here Miss Singh" Barnett clipped. "You of all people know exactly what I'm here for"

"Of course I do" Layla snorted and at once the illusion of the sweetly nervous girl dropped like a stone in a pond to be replaced by a very cold young woman who glowered suspiciously at him.

"You admiral's never approach people of the _lower ranks_ unless it is to order them to do something to further your own cause"

"And the cause of others" Barnett tried calmly but Layla only rolled her eyes and sigh heavily

"yeah right like I haven't heard that excuse before…Go on spit it out. What is it you want of me?"

"First things first I want you to listen carefully Miss Singh" Barnett clipped waspishly as he caught Layla's eye sharply in his own.

"I understand you've been trained for deep cover operations but have yet to apply those skills in the field"

"Skills which you undoubtedly want me to use at the Academy to find something or someone" Layla said firmly and was pleased to see Barnett's eyes widen in surprise for a split second though he recovered swiftly.

"Ever since the recent arrest of the late Admiral Keith Lance, Starfleet, and in particular the Academy Board have been receiving a series of rather serious threats from anonymous sources. It is only recently in the past two months that we have managed to discover that these threats were being sent by someone on ground within the Academy, and using Starfleet frequencies and resources to do so-"

Layla snorted again and shook her head.

"No offence sir but considering the Fleet's recent track record for dealing with threats close to home, you guys should've seen this coming"

"-The threats weren't made in protest to Lance's actions against you Miss Singh. But rather in agreement to them"

Layla stilled in her seat.

"Come again?"

Barnett sighed softly as if he were a reluctant judge gearing himself up to deliver a death sentence in a court of law.

"Miss Singh…I will not lie to you. Your father's activities in the past have left a lot of devastation in their path, both literally and figuratively. Whilst his role in helping apprehend Suiram and the crew of the Chimera have been able to soften his sentencing considerably, the public still see him, your people and yourself as threats to society"

"As do you and your fellow senior officers" Layla's eyes turned to slits as Barnett nodded quietly.

"Yes…but in lieu of Captain Kirk's most recent report, I'm willing to give you at least, Miss Singh, some benefit of the doubt. When this Starbase was attacked by the Chimera you were not afraid to sacrifice yourself on behalf of the very organisation that-"

"No I didn't" Layla spat angrily "Whilst I am flattered by Jim's commentary of events in my favour, I must confess sir that my "sacrifice" as you put it, wasn't noble nor was it carried out for selfless reasons. On the contrary it was the most selfish thing I've ever done. I didn't want to give myself up to that maniac, for the likes of an organisation that incarcerated me just because I was born an Augment. I did what I did because I was not going to allow myself to turn into the callous monster your precious Admiral's Lance and Marcus wanted me to become. I wanted to prove to myself that I could be, to use my father's words, _better _than what you humans thought I would be"

She leaned back in her chair and folded her arms, icy eyes flashing as if daring the admiral to say (or shout) otherwise.

However to her surprise Admiral Barnett only nodded again, this time his expression thoughtful as he murmured.

"And so you did Miss Singh."

He glanced up at her, fresh but genuine respect glinting in those dark eyes.

"but unfortunately for you, not everyone was able to recognise and see the good results of your actions. And its those that didn't that are reluctant to see this new treaty through."

"and they are?" Layla's eyebrows rose and Barnett sighed again leaning forwards in his chair.

"There is a politically active secret society that has existed for years since the days of the Federation's early formation. They call themselves _Vera Humana _or the 'True Humans'."

"I've heard of them" Layla frowned "Didn't they protest against first contact between Vulcans and Humans back in 2063"

Barnett nodded again.

"Yes and they have continuously been protesting against contact and alliances with other alien species that now exist as part of the Federation. They have been fairly quiet for the past fifty years, but ever since the_ Vengeance's_ crash on San Francisco their activities have been far more vigorous in the attempts to remove the "manipulative Alien influence" from Terran soil, or so they say in their propaganda"

"and I'm guessing they're involving Augments on their list of _manipulative aliens_." Layla grunted.

"No you aren't" Barnett's scowl darkened "You see thanks to a certain loophole in Terran classifications, you and your people are considered the first human sub-species rather than a different one altogether. And to Vera Humana being a sub species of human is far worse than being an alien of completely different genetic origin. Which unfortunately puts your people, as well as any human hybrid, very high on their hit list"

"And you want me,_ me _the daughter of one of the "subspecies" leaders, to infiltrate their ranks, to find their leaks in the academy?" Layla almost laughed at the incredulity of her own words. "Yeah…. Send the girl whose face everyone has seen giving her case in the courtroom to infiltrate enemy camp. That will be successful."

"It might surprise you to know Miss Singh" Admiral Barnett smirked "That images of your face have not even left the security footage of your quarters."

"Huh?" Layla blinked.

"We are not that foolish Miss Singh" Barnett continued amused by her surprise "During your appearance at court we used a one way visual screen to blur your face from the public gallery, which was just as well considering what came to light in that particular hearing"

Layla almost cursed herself as she felt her cheeks dust a faint pink of embarrassment.

"Well…that was…fortunate" she coughed.

"Indeed it was" Barnett's smirk softened as he sighed again heavier than any other than he had given before. "Miss Singh…In know Starfleet has made some very grievous mistakes, mistakes which we wrongfully tried to cover up, much to our own cost as well as yours. You may not see yourself as a noble person, but to us your actions speak of someone who is willing to stand up for what is right and do so in the right way, not the easy way, no matter who was trying to squash them down. It's such traits that the Federation and Starfleet once held so high, that are now rare to find. The only people I have yet seen that has had just as much guts as you have to stand against corruption has been Jim Kirk and his crew. But they are only a small school of fish in a big ocean. And it is those kinds of people we need if we are to right those wrongs and take steps back towards the good ideologies this federation was formed from."

And with this the older Admiral stood up to his feet.

"It is getting late, and I am sure you would like some time to think my request over"

"Yes, I think I would" Layla stood up her arms still folded and Barnett bobbed his head.

"Very well then. I will expect an answer from you by tomorrow morning at o'nine hundred when you and Andrew Hawkins both come for your meeting. I hope that will be enough time"

"More than enough I assure you" Layla said her voice terse "Goodnight Admiral"

"Goodnight miss Singh, and thank you" Barnett smirked as he strode out the door which shut behind him with a soft hiss.

_Oh don't thank me just yet Admiral_

Layla scowled as the back of his coat disappeared from sight.

_You don't know what I'm going to reply with…_

But what was she going to reply with?

Layla sighed heavily as she made to flump herself back on her seat, her head in her hands.

Oh what mess was she getting herself into this time?

* * *

**Star-date: 2259.219, 09:00**

_Knock! Knock!_

"Eris who is it?" Layla called out loud from the bathroom where she was washing her face.

"_Captain_ _Jim Kirk and Commander Spock, Agent Spectre. Here to pick you up for your nine o clock meeting"_ Eris's robotic voice answered pleasantly.

"finally" Layla muttered to herself before yelling loudly.

"OK! Admit them in"

There was the hiss of the door and a loud cough.

"Layla!"

"Just a moment" Layla cried out straightening out her clothes as she exited the bathroom. Today she was wearing a simple long sleeved dark grey turtleneck sweater over a pair of black leggings that were tucked into her favourite pair of black combat boots. Over her sweater, the silver crescent moon pendant that Hawke had given to her yesterday, glimmered in the artificial light of her room as it lay over her breast.

"Jim, Spock" Layla nodded to the both the officers that stood in her lounge area before stalking off to attach her phaser to her belt.

At the sound of her casualness Jim frowned in confusion, though he was quick to hide it when Spock gave him a rather pointed glance.

"So you're ready?" he coughed as Layla turned round slipping her sweater over her phaser holster to hide it from sight.

"Yeah, yeah," She waved him off waspishly "Let's just get a move on! Don't want to be late"

And with that she quietly and turned to walk past the both of them face tense as walked out the door.

"And she's still pissed" Jim sighed heavily as both he and Spock made to follow the younger girl's path.

Spock himself was quite grim, or at least his eyes were for the rest of his face was blank as stone as he made to reply.

"Whilst I agree Miss Singh's mood has not improved, I believe there is more to her demeanour than meets the eye"

"What do you mean?" Jim frowned.

"I mean Captain, that Miss Singh appears to be in such deep thought that it's distracting her. though what thoughts she seems to be thinking about I do not know" Spock admitted the slightest crinkle appearing in his brow.

And indeed even as Jim made to watch Layla quickly looked to the side and he saw her scowl.

It was different to the angry look he had been on the receiving end of yesterday. No Layla was not angry, she was anxious.

_Maybe it's because of the Academy_

He tried to reason but even so he couldn't shake off the odd sensation in the pit of his stomach.

He was glad when they reached the conference room and found both the Admiral himself and Admiral Christopher Pike already waiting along with Hawke with whom he had been talking to in quiet tones.

As soon as the three newcomers entered the three of them stood up.

Hawke smirked as he caught sight of the necklace around a very anxious Layla's neck.

She tried to smile back but it came out as more of a grimace as she nodded to Pike and Barnett.

"Sirs"

"Miss Singh, Captain Kirk, Commander Spock, please" Barnett gestured to the seats around the large polished wooden table which they all took.

"We were just discussing the security measures you will have to take upon attendance" Barnett smiled at Layla though she could see the same hardness in his eyes that had been there the night before.

However considering that none of the other four people around her had been present for the meeting she merely replied with a cold:

"Oh…I see. and what are these measures?"

"Well the first and foremost is that you shall have to attend under a pseudonym. Or at least just change your last name"

"and what would I change it to?"

It was Pike who answered this question but when he smiled it was ten times more genuine than his colleague's.

"We were just talking about that. Your young friend here" he gestured to Hawke "was just suggesting that you could use your mother's fake name McGivers for your own. Seeing as she is one of the professors, it would make your transitioning into the Academy easier seem more genuine if you were related to her."

"Makes sense" Layla nodded before asking sharply. "is there some list I can check about the measures and conditions of my stay that I may look through?"

All the men in the room looked at her in surprise, save Barnett who seemed to have been expecting this and handed her his PADD that he had in front of him.

"Here I think this should explain everything Miss Singh"

Layla took the PADD and stood up quietly. "excuse me a moment"

She walked towards a window on the far side of the room and began to flick through the document quietly on her own.

"Smart kid" Barnett muttered to Jim, Spock and Pike as he watched the girl shrewdly analyse a piece of text to herself "Most kids her age would just accept what is given for them at the drop of a hat. But she calculates everything before she acts."

"Only because she wants to get what she wants without compromising her own needs." Pike smirked as he saw her scowl and swipe her finger across the page as if slashing something out on the document.

"She's been taken advantage of once, therefore it is logical to assume she will do what she can to not let it happen again." Spock said quietly eyeing the two admiral's to his side in curiosity as they fell silent.

Jim followed his gaze and noticed that it was fixed fairly hard on Barnett who was watching Layla with a rather stern level of scrutiny.

"I don't believe it" he whispered and the admiral looked at him sharply.

"Don't believe what Mr Kirk?"

"…you want her to do something for you" Jim breathed ignoring the stern tones. "You and the other admiral's…you want her to do something for her at the academy"

Barnett didn't answer, leaving Pike to sigh softly.

"Jim…the situation's gotten worse. Layla is the only one in prime position to find something…that is if she _wants_ to" he added giving Barnett a very pointed glower.

Jim couldn't help but relax somewhat at the sight of his mentor's expression. Well at least there was one higher up he could trust to do the right thing.

It seemed Layla thought so too for when she looked up from the PADD she smirked.

"You guys do know I have superior hearing, don't you?"

_Boy…he sure doesn't have a clue of what he's getting himself into._

Jim smirked as Barnett's face hardened considerably. Obviously he had not counted such superior senses into his equation, and some.

_Well the Academy better watch out,_

Jim shared a glance with Spock who likewise shared his amusement, even if it was only shown in the twinkle of his eyes and a quirked brow.

_They're gonna be in for one heck of a ride with this one._

Indeed they were.

* * *

and that's chapter 2. whoo! would you guys believe that in the past 24 hours i've submitted three chapters for three different stories (though one of them was under 500 words :P )

hope you enjoyed and keep R&amp;Ring


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Before the Plunge**

Time was passing by like it was a blur.

Layla had heard of this happening in her books she had read whilst being incarcerated at the Io Compound of Section 31. Time flying by in such a rush that even the main characters who were aware and had made plans were also swamped.

Never before did she think she'd ever experience such a phenomenon. To her back when she was growing up, time did not rush, it had slowed down. Days upon days of the same routine blurred into months, and months had blurred to years. It was such a sluggish movement that the only proof she had that time had indeed passed, was that every year she had grown a little taller, or had earned a new scar.

But not this time. Now time was speeding by so fast that one moment she remembered packing her sparse belongings in a trunk and the next she was back on earth in her father's flat and standing in front of her bedroom mirror as she tried on her new Cadet uniform.

_Well…this looks …uh…_

Layla gulped as she did her best to straighten down the red jacket over her petite form.

She wasn't sure quite what to make of this get up.

Red wasn't quite her favourite colour, and she wasn't sure about the skirt. It was rather short and ended at mid-thigh.

It made her feel almightily uncomfortable to not have something covering her legs, even if they were just a simple pair of leggings, if only to cover up the scrawny pale sticks of skin and muscles that stuck out from under her skirt.

_Oh well, at least I can keep the boots_

She mused to herself, Kali and Spectre both agreeing with her in the depths of her mind.

It was odd, she couldn't help but frown as she tried to brush out her hair. Both Kali and Spectre were two sides of her personality she hated showing and yet for the life of her she knew she would feel sad if she were to let them go.

For so long, they had been a part of her, not just as separate personalities, but as friends…the only "people" in that facility that she knew would never ever leave her or use her. The only ones who had truly had her back.

Eris too was like that, for even though she was a digital artificial intelligence, Layla felt that she had put a part of her own soul into that machine when she had given it a face.

It was this face that suddenly popped up, smooth as it projected itself in mid-air on her door.

"Agent spectre-" she began to say only for Layla to roll her eyes and scowl.

"Eris, can it with the agent shit alright the new name's Layla. Authorisation 01, reset designation Layla Serena McGivers-Singh. Starfleet Cadet"

"Designation reset and confirmed" Eris's voice responded robotically as the holographic face gave a blank smile. "As I was saying Cadet McGivers. Cadet Hawkins has just returned from his outing and is awaiting you-"

"Up here" a male voice sounded and Layla turned to see Hawke stride in through her room door. He too was dressed in a red uniform, though unlike hers which made her look younger, his defined all his masculine traits and showcased them proudly.

In spite of herself Layla could not help but let her eyes wander over the lean chest and the long neck where the tiniest hint of skin was visible as he tried to loosen his jacket collar.

"Man" he grunted as he tugged against the material "these suits are tight"

"At least you don't have to wear the skirt" Layla snorted turning back to her own reflection and pouting.

"True" Hawke nodded as he came to stand behind her, eyeing her reflection with a tiny smirk.

"I know it looks stupid" she mumbled doing her best to brush out her hair.

"Actually, I think the red rather suits you" Hawke's smirk widened as he leaned down to press his lips to the top of her head.

"I prefer blue" Layla smiled craning her head back so that his lips grazed her forehead as he whispered.

"Blue, red, green…it wouldn't matter." He leaned down so that his lips were against her nose "You'd look nice in any colour"

"Somehow I highly doubt that"

"I don't"

"You never do" Layla giggled as she felt a small peck to the bridge between her eyebrows.

They both sighed in unison as they both made to look back into the mirror, Hawke resting his chin on top of her head as Layla stroked a thumb over one of his hands which had settled on her waist.

"So…" she clucked her tongue as the silence stretched beyond a minute. "Our cover story…"

"You're Helene's favourite niece, almost daughter like figure, who she is looking out for at the Academy. And I'm your _childhood sweetheart_ who also applied so that he could remain close to you"

"Well that sounds very sweet" Layla smirked as Hawke rolled his eyes.

"Argh! You have no idea. I mean don't get me wrong, I like that they're keeping us together but still-"

"-the excuse just sounds so sentimental it's cringe-worthy?" Layla nodded "To tell the truth I'm just astounded they didn't give either of us a tragic backstory"

"That would be too difficult a cover to maintain" Hawke muttered "Trust me, remembering traumatic details for a cover more often than not leads to early discovery"

"You've done undercover operations before?" Layla quirked an eyebrow to his mirror's reflection.

"A couple of times" Hawke tried to shrug nonchalantly, but Layla could feel the tenseness in his fingers and see the slight hardening in his eyes as he added softly "But back then things were very different…Augments were but urban myths. No one knew about what we were or how to stop us."

"And they do now" Layla gulped with a small shudder. "and if they find out they're most likely going to kill us"

"Lay, it doesn't matter if people find out about us being…what we are. Maybe they'll kill us, maybe they won't. But either way I'll protect you with my life and I'll have your back if you need me. I promise"

Hawke kissed the top of her head again as he tightened his grip around her, only to be surprised as she actually leaned back into his hold.

"Wow! Wanting physical contact? You really must be nervous" he chuckled as she turned round in his hold to face him.

"Maybe…a little…oh all right, maybe _a lot_!" She sighed heavily though the corners of her mouth twitched upwards as her partner leaned down to press his forehead on hers.

"Layla" he muttered, his voice soft but determinedly firm "You'll be fine. You hear me. You. Will. Be. Fine."

"Ow" Layla winced against the gentle knocks delivered to her head only to jump as a very familiar cough sounded from behind.

Hawke's face paled as he slowly turned to see the tall sinister figure of Khan standing in the doorway, both icy eyes narrowed to slits as he clipped softly.

"Hawke, Damian would like a word with you downstairs"

"…yes sir" Hawke nodded, cheeks flushing to the shade of tomatoes as he cautiously stepped around his leader, who kept his gaze fixed upon him until he was halfway down the stairs.

"Must you kick him out every time I'm with him?" Layla sighed and rolled her eyes as the mop of white blonde hair disappeared from sight.

"I wanted to have a private word" Khan's face softened ever so slightly as he turned back to his daughter, pouting at him in her red uniform with her arms folded.

"So?" she snapped when his pause extended past thirty seconds.

Khan however did not flinch at her harsh tones, though he did sigh quite heavily.

"I believe you once asked me, why I agreed to not have you on the mission to find the missing ten?"

"I asked you several times but that's besides the-ahem…continue…" she mumbled quickly at the stern look Khan gave her.

When he was sure he had silence again, he answered softly.

"Yesterday, Starfleet allowed me to check the cryo-tubes of all the other crewmembers still in stasis. With that I was able to identify who amongst our crew is still with us, including those of us who are here and awake, and who amongst us were missing."

"And those are?"

Khan's jaw tensed ever so slightly.

"Layla, what do you know about John Ericsson?"

"Augment leader" Layla shrugged "Was well known for managing to reinvigorate the crashing European Economy. Also was well known for his rather expensive taste in art. He ruled over the sub-continent Pax Europa till the year 1996, when he was killed by rebels in the biochemical bombing of the palace of Versailles…" she trailed off as Khan's icy eyes hardened considerably as something dark flashed over them.

However he was quick to contain himself as he said:

"He was also one of my greatest allies in the Eugenics wars."

"…oh…" Layla gulped her eyes dropping to her lap "Sorry."

"Don't be." Khan murmured softly "You were merely stating fact. But moving on. Pax Europa shared a border with the Khanite. As such we often shared a lot of trade and would support one another during times of conflict."

"So what went wrong between you two?" Layla frowned but Khan just shook his head.

"Nothing went wrong between Ericsson and I. We had been friends and allies since our younger days in the Project Chrysalis facilities. We often found ourselves equal to one another in many areas, and as such we respected one another. And when we became rulers, even if we or our governments disagreed on something we were always quick to find a mutually beneficial compromise. All except for one issue. His brother Harulf Ericsson."

"Brother?" Layla frowned "but I thought not many augments, I mean aside from mom and a couple of others… could breed?"

"And they can't" and at this her father actually grimaced a little "Most of the augments in the project were produced via artificial conception and surrogacy and then raised all together in a facility. Using what was then the most advanced methods of gene splicing our _creators_ were capable of artificially sequencing two halves of two genetic strands and reconstruct them to create new life. However, as there weren't that many volunteers to provide dna in the beginning, many of the first and second generation of Augments were conceived from a similar gene pool, resulting in several of us having multiple half siblings"

"Like Mum and Ronan?"

"Yes" Khan nodded and was surprised when Layla's face lit up with excited intrigue as she all but blurted out.

"Did you have any siblings?"

Khan shook his head, though he couldn't help the small smirk of amusement as he said.

"No, no my mother said no to that"

"Your mother?" Layla blinked. "but you just said that augments were-"

"I know." Khan cut across her quickly all amusement gone from his voice in a matter of seconds "And what I say holds true for most augments born back then. But things are a little bit different when you are the biological son of one of the projects top geneticists Serena Kaur."

"Serena?" Layla gulped, her throat feeling a little dry.

"your grandmother" Khan murmured softly. "And the one whom you share part of your name with."

There was a small pause in which the younger augment's face turned a bright pink as she coughed and turned away to look at her mirror.

"So…this Harulf Ericsson…" She muttered as she tried to adjust the hem of her red skirt "He was your best friend's brother?"

"Yes," Khan bristled "Though when I say _brother_-I mean that in the loosest biological sense. They shared similar genetics, but Harulf was very different to John. John was a strong leader yes but he preferred to use his intelligence when it came to dealing with the humans that rebelled. Harulf however preferred more…_savage_ methods to assert power."

"And you mean savage as in what exactly?"

"I mean, he's about as savage if not more so, than I am. And perhaps ten times more ruthless when backed into a corner" Khan's voice was about as tense as a bowstring. "He was one of our best combat soldiers during the Eugenics wars. In the beginning he was dutiful enough, but as his status and respect grew, he began to develop a rather megalomaniacal mindset."

"Like Suiram?" Layla gulped, her fingers stilling over her skirt. Khan didn't need his superior senses to feel the shudder that went all over her as she caught his eye in the mirror.

"Yes" he muttered darkly. "but in many ways he could be worse. Suiram had delusions of his own self-righteous grandeur but he still had maintained his own twisted sense of pride for the Klingon Empire. Harulf on the other hand has no loyalty for anyone but himself"

"And yet you allowed him to join you in exile?" Layla clipped through gritted teeth as her father averted his eyes from her reflection.

"Yes I did. But times were different then. Our race was on the verge of extinction. The only chance of any of us surviving was to either go into hiding or escape the earth. Though to be fair, I never once intended to let _him_ ever wake up."

Layla stilled where she stood.

"….So this Harulf guy…he's one of the Augment's that's loose?"

"yes" Khan muttered through gritted teeth and a stiff nod. "And considering his volatile nature and his hatred of all those he deems inferior…he will prove to be a problem."

"How? Will he try to sabotage the treaty negotiations?" Layla's brow furrowed.

"Yes…and perhaps worse" Khan trailed off his eyes never leaving his daughter's face as comprehension dawned on her.

"You…you think he might attack me? Attack us?" she gulped down a shaking breath as she turned back to face him..

"We're not sure…But we have our suspicions" Khan's quickly reached out to put a hand on his daughter's trembling shoulder "And if those suspicions turn out to be correct then I don't want you anywhere near the line of fire. If something should happen to me or your mother before these negotiations have ended, _you_ are to take my place. And that means you have to promise me you will keep out of the investigation and keep yourself safe."

"Father I-"

"Layla," Khan steamrolled over her firmly his hand reaching out to grab at her shoulder. "Please, promise me this one thing. That's all I ask of you."

"Father…" she bit her lip trying and failing not to look up into those stern but pleading eyes above her "Alright…I-I promise."

"thank you" Khan sighed, and as he did so it seemed as if a great weight had been lifted off his chest even as he cautiously stepped closer.

But all was well as Layla leaned into his touch, her cheek resting gently on his chest as she inhaled his scent. It smelt familiar, a bit like her own, but more masculine and clean. It soothed her nerves even as the usual hot tingles of fear spread over her body, the last vestiges of her most frightening scars that would be long in healing.

And yet…

Khan stiffened as he felt a smaller pair of arms make to grip at him tight but also very shakily.

"Layla?"

"I'm sorry" Layla's voice was quiet and tremulous as she pried herself off his dark shirt, her eyes bright and a little misty "I'm sorry, I-"

But her words were cut short as a hand brushed her hair away and a pair of lips pressed into her forehead.

"You'll be fine" Khan's voice was low in her ear as he held her close. "Just follow your instincts and keep out of trouble"

"I'll do my best" Layla mumbled and couldn't help but smile as she felt her father's soft chuckle reverberate in his chest.

"Of course you will. You are my daughter after all"

"Yeah…yeah I am…" but even as Layla held him close, she couldn't help but glance to the mirror in the corner of her eye, to the reflection of the girl with the arrow pin secured on her red jacket collar.

* * *

TADAAAAA! I"M BACK!

hello my lovelies, nice to see you all again. so yeah this was a short chapter but don't worry more will be coming up soon (thanks so much for waiting so patiently)

hope you enjoyed and keep R&amp;Ring for more


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: From the Shadows**

There was darkness all around the great big space in which several figures sat at a long table, their faces cast in shadows by the hoods of their dark red robes and the dimming light's of many fire lit torches that hung from the stone walls.

The thick cottony material of their hoods rustled slightly as they all turned to look at the head of the table where a tall figure sat. This figure, like the others, was garbed in a hooded robe, though theirs was as black as night and trimmed with very fine red stitching that shimmered in the half-light like tendrils of blood even as the figure made to rest their black gloved hands on the table.

"Brothers and sisters" A voice spoke from the depths of the hood. It was a cold and deep…too deep to be truly normal. "A dark time has fallen on us. Our people have once more caved in to weakness, allowing the unnatural to roam even more freely than they did before upon our planet"

There were some dark distorted mutterings amongst the figures garbed in red, though they were quickly stifled as their leader made to speak again, the deep voice softening to a hiss.

"And not only that but they are now allowing the tainted ones to walk amongst us as well"

More mutterings, more anger, but still quickly stifled by the black figure rising to their feet.

"I know these times we live in are turbulent and ever changing. But that is all the more reason for us to remain steady, to keep our earth pure and strong, for if we don't our planet will fall into the hands of the unnatural and the tainted and we shall lose all we have worked so hard to achieve."

"Hear-hear!" the figures in red all boomed, their black gloved fists hitting the table in unison, much to their leader's pleasure as they continued to speak, the voice growing steadily louder over the din of their excited followers.

"Like the rock beneath our feet, so shall we remain steadfast and unyielding-"

"Hear-hear"

"-Like the blade we shall cut the leashes the unnatural's use to bind us to their whim-"

"-Like the fire we shall smoke out the impure that continue to taint the genetic codes of our descendants-"

"Hear-hear!"

"And like the great dogs of war, let us unleash our wrath on the Augments. They who almost destroyed us once before, now only to return to seek their vengeance on our kind. They call themselves superior, but they forget that we created them and we above all other creatures on this planet have the right to destroy them…for we are the rightful custodians of this planet and of this system! And we will not be ruled by any save ourselves! We are the True HUMANS!"

The last word came out as a loud cry, which was echoed by all those around, who all stood to their feet and shouted in unison.

"Unum verum terra! Unum verum humana!

* * *

"You gonna be ok Lay?"

"Yeah…" but Layla Serena Singh did not look okay at all, in fact she looked a little queasy even as Andrew Hawkins made to rub her shoulders gently.

"You sure? I could carry your bags in for you."

In spite of herself Layla couldn't help but crack a small smirk.

"Whilst using you as my personal slave is _very_ tempting" she giggled as Hawke mock glowered at her "I think I'll be fine."

Hawke's grey eyes softened as he leaned down to press his forehead against hers.

"Alright then…but seriously…call me if there's any problems, alright?"

"Alright" Layla nodded quietly. "but even if I don't call, I'll be meeting you before the orientation ceremony"

"God, I can't believe that after three hundred years they still make students sit through that kind of torture" Hawke groaned much to Layla's amusement as she prized herself off him, but not before landing a swift peck on his cheek.

"I'll see you later 'kay?"

"You can bet on it" Hawke smirked, though as she walked away his grey eyes couldn't help but dart around nervously.

For some reason he could not fathom, he had the unpleasant feeling he was being watched.

_So this is it huh? My new home sweet home…_

It was with great trepidation that Layla sucked in a deep breath and made to step through the automatic sliding door and into a dim space.

"Lights fifty percent" she called out.

At once the lights flickered into life, bathing her and her surroundings into sight.

The room was spacious, with two beds on either side of the room perpendicular to the doorway with and two desks on the wall opposite them. On the wall opposite the entrance was another door that was currently open, revealing the tiled floor of a combined toilet and bathroom.

_Well…it's not too bad I guess…_

Layla cautiously stepped around the room, setting her bag and suitcase on the second bed closest to the bathroom.

Though she liked her sleep, she was, thankfully, an early riser and very disciplined in her morning routine.

She could only hope her roommate wouldn't mind her taking a spot first.

She checked the small alarm clock on the bedside table beside her and saw that it was set to twenty-four hour time.

_It's eleven o clock in the morning still…and the Academy orientation assembly doesn't start till one o'clock…I have time to settle in I guess…_

She bit her lip as she set her suitcase onto the bed and unzipped it open.

In it were a variety of clothes, most of them casual and tight fitting. She even had her stealth suit stuffed alongside her jeans and pants.

She scowled as she eyed the tight garment. She wasn't sure why she had brought it along. It just seemed to be something she just couldn't let go of.

She had spent so long wearing the damn thing that it must have just been second nature.

_Don't think too much into it!_

She shook her head out as she made to unpack her sketching supplies and place them on the bedside table.

She smiled faintly as she caught sight of the metal pencil case she had received only a couple of weeks ago. To many it would seem like such a meagre gift, but to her it would remain a treasure, no matter how silly it would seem.

"I'll try my best father" she murmured softly to herself as she stroked the case lightly, before turning back to the rest of her baggage.

"Right now let's get cracking" she muttered to herself, ignoring the way a small voice in the back of her head sneered.

_Talking to yourself again? A sure fire way to make friends._

"Shut up Kali. I didn't ask your opinion" Layla rolled her eyes as she made to pull out a hair brush from her toiletries and tug it through her short locks.

Kali however only snorted as she continued to ramble on her own tangent in their shared body's head.

_Yeah you'll totally be able to explain your psychosis to the new roommate when she sees you arguing with me in your head when she's-_

"Um…hello?" a voice timidly called.

Layla whipped her head around just in time to catch a glimpse of a head of dark brown waves that framed blue violet eyes poke through the door.

She blinked.

She knew that face.

"Joanna?"

"Layla? Is that you?" The girl, Joanna McCoy's, face split into a wide smile as she all but bounded into the room.

She was already wearing the maroon Starfleet Cadet uniform, complete with cap and boots and the pin on the lapel, that glimmered in the light of the room even as she bounded over to fling her arms around the younger girl.

Though also happy to see her friend, a very stunned Layla barely restrained herself from flinging her off to the side with all the strength she had. Instead she just stiffly patted the older girl on the back, the action awkward enough to make Joanna quickly step back with a sheepish grin.

"Sorry. Got a bit carried away there"

"It's okay." Layla laughed shakily "Just give me a warning if you plan on doing that again."

"Not a big fan of hugs huh?" Joanna smirked and Layla blushed a little.

"No just…not fond of touching other people in general. Sorry" she added her eyes pleading as she willed the other girl to just understand that this was in no way personal.

But it seemed Joanna was far more insightful than she looked for she was quick to wave her off with a small smirk.

"Nah! It's okay. My dad told me you weren't that big on physical contact…Unless they are a tall mysterious handsome bird-brained-"

"Alright! alright you've made your point" Layla spluttered, blushing to the roots of her hair as Joanna laughed loudly, plonking her bag on the empty bed behind her.

"I take it he's here then?"

"Yeah…he's settling into the boys dorms on the other side close to medical." Layla nodded only for her brow to suddenly furrow, "hang on, I thought you were a nurse? Shouldn't you be in Medical campus?"

"I was in training for a nurse" Joanna nodded her smile falling a little as she looked into her lap "But that was only because of my ma. She wanted to push me into the medical field like her and dad, though she didn't want me attending whilst he was still on Earth."

"Why not? Your dad's great" Layla blurted out before she could stop herself "I-I mean he's gruff and rough sometimes but he's a great doctor and a loyal friend-"

"Yeah I know" Joanna sighed heavily "But he and my ma are…well…they clash too much, and Ma can be a bit of a control freak sometimes I guess. And Dad's not good with dealing with that kind of pressure…and neither am I for that matter," she added quietly, but then quickly perked up "that's why I'm changing from medical nursing to psychiatry, which though is a medical profession still falls under the Science research division of Starfleet…so here I am."

Layla had to laugh, and when Joanna quirked a brow at her she laughed even harder.

She couldn't help it. Just what were the chances that she of all people would get dumped to room with the dorm shrink?

"Oh-Oh the irony" she gasped as she paused to hiccup for breath "oh that is just too good?"

"Uh…what is?" Joanna leaned a little away as the younger girl finally managed to bring the laughs down to small coughs and smiles.

"Um…well…uh…I don't know how much your dad told you about me" Layla cleared her throat loudly "But in all seriousness…since we are going to share a room with one another I think you should know…I uh…have what you might call a serious identity crisis"

"What?" Joanna frowned and Layla rolled her eyes.

"I've got split personalities!"

"Oh!" Joanna nodded only to still where she stood her eyes widening when comprehension finally dawned on her "OH! Right I forgot!"

Then she too burst out laughing, much to Layla's amusement.

"so he did tell you?" Layla snorted as she sat down on the bed.

"uh-huh" Joanna nodded then quickly remembered herself as she coughed sheepishly "But I-it's okay. From what Dad's told me, you have the um…other personalities under control…right?"

"Yeah…well…most of the time anyways" Layla added with a mumble "It's been getting easier since I met father, and even more so after I found my mother"

"That's great" Joanna smiled, and this time it was genuinely wide and warm.

"Yes…yes it is" Layla blushed, unable to meet the gaze as embarrassment bubbled up deep within. But it wasn't the horrible shameful kind she was used to.

"yeah…" Layla nodded "so…we're roommates"

"Yeah…I guess we are" Joanna coughed.

There was another awkward pause, one that made Kali groan in Layla's head.

_God we're gonna have to work on your people skills..._

Layla scowled.

Trust her other personalities to scold her at the worst of times.

* * *

The speech was long winded, the assembly boring. The cadets and officers all stood to attention as per usual, in the bright sun of the courtyard.

Yes everything was going according to plan.

A pair of brown eyes narrowed as they looked through the sniper lens.

"Now where are you hiding?" a man's gruff voice snarled softly under breath as the view of the lens ran line after line over the crowd of maroon capped cadets.

All of them were so dutifully still at parade rest, not a hair out of place as the next speaker of the Assembly came up to address them.

"-wish to welcome you all to another year of-"

The speaker's voice was quickly drowned in the sniper's ears as his eyes finally caught sight of his quarry.

A small young female Cadet, with jet black hair, and bright icy eyes…

* * *

The midday sky was bright, the noise of civilisation buzzing and humming loudly from far below the balcony. And yet it all felt so distant…

"Khan…"

Khan Noonien Singh was not a man easily surprised. But so deep was he in his thoughts that he almost jumped out of his skin as his wife put her small pale hand on his shoulder.

"I am alright" he muttered before she could speak again. Turning back he was unsurprised to see her green eyes twinkle with amusement as she smiled knowingly.

"You miss her"

"She's strong and smart. I have no reason to be anxious." Khan muttered, his arm wrapping itself securely around her shoulder to hold her close.

"And yet you still worry" Helene chuckled as she leaned her head on his shoulder. "I know…I do too, and it is nerve wracking beyond belief"

"Does it ever stop?" he grumbled softly.

"No. Never. Not even when she's so big now…"

Helene sighed heavily and Khan was astonished to see her mouth curl downwards into a frown.

"You told her about Harulf?"

"Yes" Khan's gaze turned hard on the city below "She deserved to know-"

"That she's in more danger than ever before?" Helene's eyes narrowed dangerously "Khan she's already got enough to worry about what with the whole investigation, the academy and the damned Vera Humana shouting out their xenophobic garbage"

"Helene, she's not a child" Khan growled.

"She's not one of your soldiers either" Helene snapped back, but Khan wasn't swayed one bit.

"I know that!" he clipped "That's why I'm telling her the truth. Now and in full. At least now she knows what's out there, and she won't be scared when it comes"

"Khan, Harulf is a madman!" Helene cried out as she pushed herself away from his grip "You've heard the message he sent last night. If he's planning what you think he's planning then you know he's not going to back down till he's seen it through…till he's seen all us through! And worse still, he knows us Khan. He _knows_ us from our starts, he knows our fears our weaknesses-"

"But he doesn't know _hers_" Khan barked over the top of her cries, silencing her as his icy eyes flashed dangerously "he doesn't know Layla. Not like you, nor I. In his plans she will be the unknown variable. And if we play our cards right…there is a chance we can beat him without her getting involved"

"Khan you don't know that-"

"No I don't" Khan agreed though the fire in his eyes never once dimming as he cupped her cheek in his hand "but I trust my daughter, just as much as I trust you"

"Damn you, Noonien" Helene breathed as he leaned in close.

But even as his lips grazed hers, something beeped from his jacket pocket.

"Y-you should get that" Helene murmured, doing her best not to laugh as Khan scowled irritably, his hand deftly picking out the communicator from his pocket.

He flicked it open and was about to speak when a voice suddenly spoke into the silent balcony.

"Khan, it's been a while"

The voice that had spoken was that of a male's, a gruff scathing purr that chilled the blood in both Augment's veins.

"Harulf" Khan growled to the communicator from which there was a snort.

"_You were expecting someone else, My Lord. Your right hand? Maybe my brother? Oh wait, I forgot, my brother is dead because of you!_"

"Harulf stop this madness! You and I both know who was truly at fault that day. You don't have to do this-" Khan hissed his hand gripping the communicator so tight that it was a miracle that it wasn't crushed to pieces.

Almost as if he could see it happening Harulf smirked softly.

"_Oh but I do Khan. Your weaknesses have disgraced our people once too often. First in the Eugenics Wars, and now here in the twenty fourth century. It's high time you stepped off your pedestal and let someone else lead our people to victory over these inferior whelps!_"

"You seek to gain an absolute victory over that which has proven impossible to control" Khan snapped, knuckles white with suppressed rage. "Wake up from your delusions Harulf! Your ways only lead to war and death. By the time your campaign is done there will be no one left to continue the legacy of our people"

"_I wouldn't be so sure of that_" Harulf sneered smugly. "_In fact I would go so far as to say that given enough time both our bloodlines might in fact run for a very __**long**__ time"_

"What are you talking about?" Khan breathed, unable to suppress the shiver of icy dread that was tingling at the base of his spine as the other Augment chuckled softly.

"_You know Khan, I'm surprised at you. For someone who is notorious for being paranoid about his most precious possessions, you really are being quite lax about the safety of your-what was it again?-Layla?"_

Helene clapped a hand over her mouth to mask the gasp that escaped her.

Khan however had frozen in his spot, the colour draining from his already pale face so that it looked as white as a ghost as Harulf ploughed through in a purr.

"_Pretty thing I have to say. A bit on the short side, but nothing my genetics can't fix-"_

"You bastard" Khan snarled ferocity so fierce that that even Helene's touch was not enough to hold back the fire in his gut. "You Dare-Don't you dare even think of touching her!"

"_Sorry…but it's a bit too late for that Khan_" Harulf's voice sneered smugly, almost as if he could see the furious man on the other end of the communicator "_And let me say that she does indeed look far more fetching in that red uniform then she ever did in that little black suit-"_

"HAAARGH!"

"Khan no!"

But too late. There was a loud crash as the metal communicator was all but smashed to the balcony floor, shattering at once into hundreds of tiny shards.

There was a mind numbing silence as Helene gaped open mouthed at her husband, whose face was livid, icy eyes wild with fury as he glared to the ground.

When he finally spoke his voice was thick and hoarse as it strained to remain soft and controlled.

"Contact Ronan and the others. Tell them about Harulf."

"What are you going to do?" Helene gulped though she timidly stood her ground as he made to walk past her.

But all that she got was silence.

* * *

Layla Singh sighed softly to herself as she tapped her pencil on the blank page of her sketchbook.

She was sitting back in her new dorm room, waiting for Joanna to finish showering before bed, only to find inspiration not quite flowing from her fingertips and onto the page like she thought it would.

It was not as if the day hadn't been eventful or inspiring, but for some reason her mind felt shadowed by anxiety.

She didn't know whether it was just her heightened senses overacting, but halfway through that boring opening assembly she could have sworn she felt a pair of eyes watching her from somewhere above.

_Probably just "first day jitters"_

She reasoned to herself quietly as she tapped a grey dot onto the page before her.

_I haven't really been here on campus before, especially not with so many people around me_

And how many people there were indeed. Layla had always been intrigued by the prospect of learning in a proper classroom, but it seemed as if classroom were too trivial a word to describe the sheer amount of people that she would be studying with in her year group.

She wondered vaguely how the professors would deal with such a large amount of students when she herself was unnerved by the prospect of speaking with more than three people at a time.

There was a pinging sound from her bedside and quickly she turned to see a "new message" notification on her new data pad.

_Must be dad or Hawke checking up on me._

She smirked with a fond eye roll as she tapped the message open.

However she was surprised to see on the screen, not a typed message, but a picture.

A picture of her in her cadet uniform at the Assembly.

She frowned as she looked it over carefully. From the angle it was taken at, the viewer was placed from a high vantage point so that it caught not just her in the frame, but also Hawke and Joanna who stood beside her dutifully at parade rest.

"What the?" She breathed as she made to flick the screen, where another image of the Assembly was showing, this time focused on two tall figures in grey dress uniforms standing at the front beside the podium along with the other officers.

Layla only recognised them quickly because of their familiar faces; one pale and blank faced with a blunt dark fringe and swept up eyebrows, the other blonde haired and blue eyed with a small smirk.

_What the hell is this?_

Layla felt her heart sink as her fingers made to flick through the rest of the photographs, most of which were like the first two. Pictures of officers and Starfleet Personnel she had known...people who were her friends…

She would have been glad to reach the end of the file, had she not spotted the last two images, which were not of the assembly, but of her and her mother and father, holding one another as they said goodbye that morning, whilst the other was of her and Hawke outside the dormitory…smiling softly at one another as they exchanged a kiss.

Her heart all but drowned in her chest, she forced herself to finally look at the typed text that blared out in white letters onto her eyes at the end of the message.

_"I've got my eye on you - H.E."_

"Hey,"

Layla jumped and looked up quickly to see Joanna standing in the doorway to their bathroom, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"You okay?"

"Yeah" Layla quickly smiled, feeling around for her faint amusement at the other girl's southern accent and quickly tugging it into the forefront of her mind. "just thinking 'bout tomorrow is all."

"Oh okay. Well I'm done so you gonna go to sleep then?"

"Yeah…yeah I might just do that" Layla nodded, cursing herself as her voice quavered ever so slightly.

If Joanna thought there was anything the matter, she did not let it show. Instead she just shrugged it off as she made to go to her bed where she began to get dressed.

Thankful for the privacy of thought, Layla tucked her sketching and her pad away on her bedside before pulling the covers over herself.

Perhaps it was a good thing she was so tired from all the day, because in spite of all her fear and anxiety her mind went black as soon as it hit the pillow, and she knew nothing more.

* * *

TADAA! Hi guys i'm back

sorry about the long wait. inspiration takes a long time to come sometimes for certain fandoms, especially when you lose some of your mojo. but don't worry, i got it back after watching the new ST: Beyond promos xD squeals, the cast just look so funny.

Anyways hope you enjoyed and review if you want more :)


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Far From Home**

"Hey…you okay?"

"Huh?" Layla blinked as the warm weight settled around her shoulder. She looked up and quickly saw Hawk looking down at her, his stormy grey eyes worried as he took in her slightly ruffled hair and her fidgeting hands she tried to steady in her lap.

They were in the mess hall with Joanna, doing their best to eat their first breakfast amongst their peers before they headed off to class.

But Layla didn't quite feel like eating.

Roaring lions were surging through her gut as her eyes darted around the many packed tables.

She had never seen so many people crowded into one space before. It was so…noisy. She could only imagine just how her first class was going to go. Not that she was worried about the work.

No, she felt confident in her academic skills. But socially…

She shuddered mentally, her other half Kali also bristling uncomfortably from behind the mental barrier recently constructed and fortified, as Layla began to mull over her own past lessons in her head.

Her trainers back at the Io compound had always been one on one, and when she had been older and remarkably more dangerous, simulations had been used to teach her, though none had ever simulated a classroom environment.

For the umpteenth time that morning she wondered whether she should have just stayed behind with her parents and the other Augments and Starfleet Agents. At least she knew how to handle them. All of them were trained like her, all had similar conditioning, all shared a similar mindset for the field.

But this…being surrounded by a sea of people with so many skills and untrained hands and minds.

It was downright frightening.

"Oh hey guys, the timetable's up" Joanna piped up from over her cup of steaming hot coffee.

With trembling fingers, Layla untangled her fingers' from Hawke's reassuring grip and made to pick up her datapad from her bag.

**Student Name: Layla Serena McGivers**

**Period 1 –: DIP101: Diplomacy (General)**

**Period 2 –TAC104: Introduction to Military Strategy and Doctrines**

**Lunch**

**Period 3 –LAW101: Federation Law (General)**

**Period 4 – CS 101: Introduction to Computer sciences**

**Period 5 –TAC101: Hand to Hand Combat Training**

_Well…I guess it could be worse _

She sighed in relief as she chanced a peek over to Hawke's datapad.

**Student Name: Andrew Isaac Hawkins**

**Period 1 –DIP101: Diplomacy (General)**

**Period 2 –Hist101: Introduction to Federation History**

**Lunch**

**Period 3 – ****SURV101: Starship Emergencies**

**Period 4 – TAC101: Hand to Hand Combat Training**

**Period 5 – ****SURV110: Environmental Suits and Zero-G Training**

"We have first period together" Hawke smirked at the relief flashing over his partner's face.

"I know" she blushed, scowling as Joanna failed to stifle her amused giggle from across the table. "I'm just surprised to see you doing history"

"Well I did miss out on a lot being in cryo-sleep. Three hundred years is a lot to catch up on" Hawke smirked softly, though Layla could see his cheeks dust ever so slightly pink as he leaned in to whisper "But it might go faster if I had a private tutor"

"Ugh! Guys please I'm trying to eat here" Joanna groaned as Layla flushed so red she was about the shade of a tomato.

"you're terrible" she hissed as her boyfriend laughed, his lips grazing her temple as he softly murmured.

"You'll do fine. Just chill and relax. It'll be over before you know it"

"I hope you're right."

* * *

_He was wrong…school sucks!_

Layla groaned silently behind her poker face as she watched, her patience barely holding on by a thread as some idiot cadet in front of her blathered on and on about the wrong definition of one of Alexander the great's battle tactics.

_Is it wrong that I miss being back at the Io compound? Even Marcus didn't drone on like this. Heck, the old bastard would've probably shot this dolt by now._

She rolled her eyes as she checked her datapad and saw that five minutes had already elapsed. Just how long was this moron going to take.

True he wasn't rambling on about diplomacy and the Prime Directive like her first lecturer, but he was cutting it close with his annoying voice.

Something of her irritation must have shown on her face, for her lecturer, Professor Giotto, smirked in her direction as he cut through his pupil's rant.

"That will be all mister Frankson. Miss McGivers perhaps you would like to share your views on this famous battle tactic and how it could pertain to more modern warfare?"

Layla blinked, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling uncomfortably as all eyes in the room turned to her spot at the far back of the lecture hall, where she sat alone with only her satchel for company in the seat next to her.

Most faces were genuinely intrigued by her stiff uncomfortable presence. Others however looked scornful and sceptical. She supposed it would be only natural, considering she was one of the youngest of her year group.

_Don't see, don't feel. You're made of steel_

With a deep breath she began to speak, not noticing the shrewd pair of eyes watching her from the far corner of the room.

Khan Noonien Singh was a man known for his temper. By augment standards he was quite level headed, but once his fury was unleashed it was not a thing to be trifled with especially when he was frustrated.

Only one person could get through to him when he was in such a state and that was his wife, who was currently glaring down his back with her piercing green eyes as he paced up and down the small Starfleet conference room.

"Khan it's only been a few hours; You can still call her later in the evening when she's free. Besides she'll be enjoying lunch-"

"You saw that message Helene" Khan growled as he stopped by a window and gazed out onto the distant academy building. "You saw how close he got with those pictures. What's to stop him from being with her in her class even right now?"

"Khan even if you are right-"

"Which I know I am" Khan hissed and Helene rolled her eyes as she doggedly persisted.

"Even _if_ you are right, Harulf won't try anything. Not yet. Layla's his collateral. If he uses her now he'll have nothing left to use when we actually go up against him. He needs her to get to you as his bargaining chip. As such we need to keep her safe and in play, that's the only way we'll draw him-"

"Don't talk like that" Khan snapped so harshly that the small feline form of Hubble winced even as he sat in his basket. Helene however narrowed her eyes at her husband, each green orb gleaming dangerously.

"Don't talk like what Khan?"

Khan met her gaze, and unlike most men it had pierced, he glared back unflinchingly.

"Like she's an object. Like she's something to be used. Don't talk about her like that."

"Khan-" Helene's eyes widened, but Khan kept going his jaw tensing even more as he ground out through gritted teeth.

"I know you've made it your business to get into the headspace of our targets. I know it's trained into you. But for goodness sakes Helene she's our daughter, not just some other agent we've placed into the field"

"Khan she is an agent." Helene shook her head "Whether you like it or not, that is what she was trained to be and that is what a part of her will always be."

"It's only a part of her because bastards like Marcus and Lance were allowed to use her to her hearts content" Khan's eyes were slits now as he rounded on his wife whose own harsh gaze turned guilty at once as she averted her eyes to her chair.

"You are still angry with me aren't you?" she murmured softly.

"Angry…no Helene…I am beyond anger." Khan said unflinchingly, his voice cold as ice that was much worse than any yell he could've given and far more painful than any blow he could land to her physically as he towered over her.

"You left our daughter, our _five-year-old_ daughter, to the mercy of those two monsters You let them torture and imprison our child, my _heir_, for nearly ten years without even so much as a word to her. She didn't even know if you were alive or dead."

"I…I was scared…" Helene's gaze on the arm of her chair was so hard that it was a miracle she wasn't burning a hole right through it. It's intensity only grew even as her husband continued to speak.

"Scared? You were _scared?_" Khan spat, eyes flashing dangerously as he knelt before her "Did you ever have to see what they did to her? Did Lance or Marcus ever make you see what happened to her in that room? In all your years away did you ever once stop to think or wonder of how scared she was, waiting for a mother that would never come back for her?"

"I was going to come back to her" Helene yelled but Khan's voice was louder still.

"WHEN?! Because from where I'm standing it didn't look like you were coming back any time soon"

"Khan-"

"Do you have any idea of the state she was in when I met her? Do you? She couldn't even let other people touch her or even get physically close to her, she couldn't even stand to touch me! Me her own father, without coming close to a panic attack. Her mind is split apart into different identities each one only formed so that she wouldn't feel alone inside the confines of her own head. They don't manifest so much now but they're all still there in her, I see it every time she thinks she's alone. She talks to them, confides in them, hides behind them when she's scared. That's how alone she was Helene! That's how lonely you left her! And not once since we reunited have I ever seen you even try to remedy that-"

"-Khan stop please-"

"NO I will not stop" Khan growled both his hands flying to the arms of her chair, trapping her there between his body and the chair. "I won't stop till you finally take action and make an effort to repair the damage you've done. And I don't mean just giving your apology. You and I both know words mean nothing without an action. And so does Layla-"

"Mew!" the sound made both augments freeze as they turned to the door to the conference room, which had to their knowledge been shut.

Now however a tall lanky figure with red hair and a thin pointed face was striding through holding a grey cat with a collar in his hands.

"Forgive the intrusion Lord Khan, but the Admirals and delegates from New Vulcan are on their way up now. I'd suggest you both start preparing" Ronan bobbed his head to his leader who bristled as he and his wife both straightened up, their faces taking on expressions of stony determination even as they regarded him.

"Yes we will. Thank you Ronan"

But Ronan didn't move, his green eyes flickering to meet his sister's identical ones.

"I'm fine Ronan" Helene gave her brother a weak, but very painted smile.

He was not fooled for a second, but even though Khan could see the anger in his followers eyes, the moment to act was interrupted by the mewling of Hubble the cat as he sprung from his holders hands and up into Helene's lap.

"He's a smart creature. Smart and noble. Doesn't like it when others threaten people he likes" Ronan muttered glancing with narrowed eyes towards Khan as he added "A bit like your daughter in many ways"

"Is that so" Khan grunted stiffly and Ronan's eyes turned to slits.

"You know it is so"

And with that he left leaving Khan to stand watching the door as his wife cooed over the small grey cat, her eyes still red from her tears.

* * *

The day had been long but Layla was strangely satisfied as she flumped down on her bed in her dormitory room.

All in all, it hadn't been that bad a day.

True half her lectures dragged on and on about topics she already knew a lot about from her old training. And yes she could still beat most of her hand to hand sparring class out of the ball park even when she was using only small fractions of her true strength and dragged on the fights to make it look as if they were hard.

But her professors liked her a lot. Her calm, cool mindset was greatly appreciated as was the professional tones she used to address them. Especially her Computing Sciences lecturer Spock.

She snorted and shook her head on her pillow as she remembered the half Vulcan striding into class in his grey officer's suit and carrying a black briefcase.

His address had been formal and stiff as per usual, and he had all but skimmed over her in the roll call at the start of class. However, Layla was sure that she could've felt his sharp eyes on her face as she lazily but swiftly entered in the computer codes they were required to memorise for tomorrows class.

Such simple basic code. If Layla hadn't known any better she'd have thought Starfleet command was trying to torture her again, this time with the whip of boredom.

But not complete boredom.

For if there was one thing that had needled the back of her mind all day, it was the stares of the other students.

Layla was used to having uncomfortable attention focused on her, but it was usually from scientists or Marcus or Lance that they had come from, in short all the greediest, power hungry, sadistic morons Section 31 had to offer.

These stares from her fellow peers were of a completely different nature.

Most were curious, some anxious, some sympathetic (especially the non-human demographic) but all of them assured of one thing.

Cadet Layla McGivers was not an ordinary girl. Not by any stretch. And nobody had the guts to walk up to her and figure out why.

_What do I do?_

Layla sighed as she ran a hand over her face.

_I've done everything I can to keep it low key. I can afford to be smarter than everyone else because how else will a supposed eighteen-year-old ever get into Starfleet. I've done what I can to appear weak in sparring, but I can't allow myself to be pushed over or beaten up either._

And then there was Hawke, or rather Andy as she'd taken to calling him over the course of the day.

It seemed odd, she thought to herself, that she should give him a nickname.

_Odd but nice_

Kali smirked mentally and Layla was surprised at the contentedness of her usually violent other personality's tones.

But before she could ponder the odd change, the door to her room opened and Joanna McCoy trudged in looking haggard.

"What a day" the older girl huffed as she all but flew into her desk chair and spun it around to face Layla's prone form. "You tired too?"

"Nope bored" Layla grunted as she turned over to smirk at Joanna's irritable scowl.

"Even with the amount of homework they're setting us! I mean come on its only freaking day one-"

"No rest for the wicked tonight then?" Layla snorted.

"Damn straight. But I guess you've already finished your stuff"

"Yeah I finished it by fourth period." Layla shrugged and Joanna groaned.

"Damn you and your brain girl"

Layla laughed as her roommate sunk down lower into the chair, chuckling also.

Yeah…today had been an interesting day.

* * *

The figure sat perched atop the shiny dormitory building roof, eyes squinting as they peered through a powerful but strange digital eyepiece that hovered before his real eye. Through it he could see magnified a pair of girls through a window.

Both were laughing and chortling, though the younger one with black hair seemed to have more mirth as she teased the older brunette who was chucking her pillow at her in playful retaliation.

"hmm…cute" the figure snorted as his gaze fell upon the raven haired girl come into complete view.

With a careful hand, the figure put a hand up to the eyepiece and pressed a small tiny silver button, which began to flash red.

"Now…Let's see how much you like this"

Jim Kirk felt exhausted as he trudged through the door of his apartment.

The meetings with the Admiral's, Augments and Vulcans had gone…well they'd gone okay.

But then again they could've been better, he mused in his head as he strode to the kitchen and poured himself a mug of coffee.

_Damn that Khan. Just what was with him today. Totally distracted. Totally on edge too._

If anything it had been an absolute miracle the man had even sat down to consider the first offers placed on the table before him and his wife.

His wife.

_Just what the hell happened this morning?_

Jim shook his head out as he remembered the strangely melancholic look in Helene McGivers-Singh's face as she glanced at her stony faced husband.

Whatever had gone down between the pair had obviously been rather bad to make that kind smiling woman in his memories so forlorn.

Jim could remember her teaching him his history lectures back at the Academy. A sweet, kind woman. Bubbly, bright and with an infectious enthusiasm for her subject. Also, and Jim remembered this with a small fond smirk, one of the few women to ever be able to put him in his place without even raising her voice. However, on the flip side she was also known to be very professional and sharp when on duty on a starship, or even in a simulation, and to also have quite a mind of her own…and a temper to match…

In short, Jim had been rather fond of her, though his fondness was more of the kind a nephew would feel for his favourite aunt. Though if she were like his aunt, then that would make Khan…

"Agh! That is so wrong" Jim shook his head just as his datapad flashed to life, a message alert appearing on its front.

_Must be another one from Pike about tomorrow's meeting_

The young captain groaned as he picked up the tablet and swiped to see the message.

What he saw made his gut sink.

It was a photograph of a window. A window that looked all too familiar to Jim Kirk as it matched nearly every single one of the windows on the very familiar building he had so often snuck in and out of in his own academy days.

But it wasn't just the window that had his hands shaking and his eyes widening.

It was the video of the two young women on the other side of the glass pane. Both of them young. Both of them horsing around.

One with raven hair and the other with curly deep brown.

He almost dropped the datapad as the screen suddenly went black and a strangely scrambled voice hissed.

_"Sweet things aren't they, Captain Kirk? Especially young Miss McCoy. It's really a shame she isn't one of us. She'd make a fine breeding mate for one of my men, just as Layla will be for me."_

There was a blip and the message turned off, but Jim didn't notice.

His shaking hands were already flipping open his communicator.

"Admiral Pike" he all but bleated into the receiver "Sir…it's…it's him, it's Harulf Ericsson. He's made contact again"

_And this time he's hitting closer to home…_

Jim growled as the images of the two laughing girls filled his head.

_Way too close to home._

* * *

Dun-Dun-DUUN!

HI i'm back guys.

but only with a short chapter :( sorry, but i'm actually not going to be able to post much of anything for the next few weeks as i finish assignments so this is one of the last few stories that i will be updating before the end of the week. I based a lot of my ST academy stuff based on an RPG website called UFOP: Starbase 118 Wiki so hopefully that's all okay.

So yeah Layla had an okay first day, Kirk got a nasty shock and Khan really hasn't gotten over his wife's previous actions or in this case inaction.

I didn't think that he'd be the kind of person to magically forgive someone for disappearing on his child just because they had a happy reunion before (end of Dark Before Dawn). i mean as we all saw in STID, Khan is extremely devoted to his crew and i'm willing to bet if he actually had kids in Canon he would've probably been a lot more ruthless and ferocious in regards to protecting them or avenging them.

Anyways, enough with my ranting. I hope you all enjoyed and review if you want more or have any suggestions.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Let the Games Begin**

A figure sat in a chair with his back to his office, his face staring out over the great view from his windows.

Everything was dark. Everything was quiet. Nothing was there to disturb him as he watched the Bay of San Fransisco sleep under a starry sky from his vantage point of Starfleet Headquarters. Yes…this truly was a rare moment of pure peace.

Just as he liked it.

"Wow, now that's what I call a view."

The seated figure stiffened as something metallic pressed against the side of his head and the voice sneered again.

"Tell me how much did it cost a fat cat like you to plaster your fat behind in such a high seat like this?"

"More than you can afford I'm sure" the seated man hissed, hoping that his ambusher would not pick up the waver in his attempt to sound haughty.

Unfortunately for him all he got was a dark chuckle.

"Oh I'm not so sure of that. You can always eventually get what you want. You just need patience and perseverance. But you would know all about patience wouldn't you oh _munda frater_"

"I don't know what you're talking about" the seated man bleated as the silver phaser jabbed painfully into the side of his head again.

"Of course you don't. That's why there's a red robe hidden in the secret compartment of your wardrobe back in your apartment in Los Angeles."

The figure in the seat was now stiffer than a corpse and just as pale.

"What do you want from me?" he gulped, not even bothering to hide the shiver of fear running up his spine.

"An alliance" his shadow purred. "You don't know it yet, but you and I both work for the same cause. The purification of our planet's gene pool. Every day, more and more alien scum infects our planet with their tainted unnatural culture and every day aberrations like the Augments, crawl closer to their goal of wiping the slate clean and replacing it with their own _superior_ model for the future"

"Can you get rid of them? Is that what you are suggesting?"

"Get rid of them. Exterminate them, erase them." the shadow sneered into the dark. "All of this is possible…for a fee that is"

"And what is your _fee_ exactly."

"Nothing monetary I assure you. Besides I can acquire such trivialities quite easily on my own. No what I need is something far more valuable"

"And what is that?"

The shadow grinned.

"I'm so glad you asked."

* * *

"Hey! Andrew!"

Layla, Joanna and Hawke all turned around just in time to see a terran male with auburn hair and a slightly squat disposition detach himself from his group of friends and stride over to them.

"Hey Garry" Hawke smirked as the man slapped him on the shoulder. "What's up?"

"Oh you know the sky-or my brain as my instructor keeps telling me" Garry snorted. "Listen the boys and I are gonna go out for drinks and a dance tonight at that new club down on the bay. Wanna join us? You can bring your girls with you if ya want. Max's bringing his girlfriend and I think Frank's got his boyfriend too"

"Well I'd love to. Lay what do you think?" Hawke looked down at Layla who just blinked in surprise.

"Uh…yeah sure. Sounds…uh…fun? Jo?" She glanced sidelong at Joanna who shrugged and smirked.

"We'd love to"

"Great!" Garry perked up with a wide grin. "It's called the Growl. Got the big panther over the top you can't miss it. See you tonight"

"yeah see you" Hawke waved as the guy jogged on ahead to catch up with his friends.

Once he was out of earshot Layla mumbled glumly.

"Shit…"

"What?" Joanna frowned and Layla groaned softly

"Never mind. Let's just get to class"

* * *

Commander Spock, or Professor Spock as he was known at the Academy, was not one to be easily amazed.

True he was mildly surprised by the nerve and illogical daring of some of his students, but very rarely did anything truly astonishing occur to impress him

That was until Cadet Layla McGivers had entered his classroom on the first day of semester.

It wasn't the fact she'd entered his classroom. He had already known she was in his class thanks to receiving the roster a week or so ago. No.

He was astonished by how calm and composed she'd been surrounded by many pupils. For a girl who had very little knowledge of social interaction, she knew how to fit in really well. Or rather be accepted by other functioning members of society, to which it could be noticed, her looks certainly helped her a great deal.

To not admit her physical features were striking would be tantamount to illogical stupidity. Icy blue eyes, pale skin, high cheekbones, dark hair, not to mention her disarmingly charming personality that had won over most of Spock's colleagues. As humans went she was quite (as his captain would say it) "a catch".

But even as the week rolled by, Spock couldn't help but notice the perfect façade cracking ever so slightly, especially as the rest of the class suddenly became aware of their youngest peer's superior mental brilliance.

There was one man in particular who caught the Vulcan professor's attention.

Dark blonde/brown hair framing a face of stern countenance, even as he lounged back in his seat, his dark beady eyes fixed intently on the young augment.

There was something heated in the gaze…

_Like a predator stalking its prey._

Though Spock hid it well, the thought unsettled him greatly, for the only time he had ever seen such an expression it was when a Sehlat stalked its food.

Layla too seemed to notice the gaze for after catching sight of the man on her second day, pointedly made precautions to not to look in that general direction at all.

Though he made no indication physically, internally Spock was glad of her perceptiveness. It eased his conscious considerably knowing that the Augment girl was at least capable of keeping herself away from danger, even if it only appeared to be the unwanted attentions of a human male.

A human male who made it a habit of following her whenever she left at the end of class.

_It's not unreasonable that some of the male populous of the human demographic find her physically attractive._

Spock reasoned to himself as he watched Layla pack up her bag.

As she finished tucking her datapad back in, she caught his eye and paused.

Though it had never been specified beforehand, both Vulcan and augment had silently agreed not to make any familiar contact whilst on campus.

It was a logical move, one Spock could appreciate greatly, up till this point in time.

His brow quirked slightly as Layla gulped, her eyes darting quickly to her side.

Her shadow was packing his bag from his corner of the lecture hall, but his stare on the young girl's back was very noticeable.

Spock's gaze flickered back to Layla's and the meaning in her eyes could not be clearer.

With a small but notable cough, Spock cleared his throat.

"Cadet McGivers. If you wouldn't mind staying back for five minutes. I would like a word with you."

There was a pause as all students turned in the doorway to watch Layla nod to their professor as she shouldered her bag and walked over to him.

"Cadet Schmidt, is something the matter?" Spock clipped stiffly to the Cadet in the back who jumped a little at being addressed.

"No sir" he muttered as he stood up and dusted his uniform "Sorry, I'll be off"

And he scooted out, though not without a last glance at Layla, whose clenched jaw only relaxed as the door to the classroom shut behind him.

"Thank you professor" she sighed heavily.

"Your gratitude is unnecessary Cadet." Spock quirked a brow "It was plain for all to see that his attentions at the very least were disturbing for you."

"Disturbing is one way of putting it…" Layla muttered, her fingers fiddling with the strap of her bag. "I mean everyone here at the academy stares at me…and yeah that's pretty freaky in its own right, but Schmidt…I don't know what he's about"

"It is possible that he holds a physical attraction towards you and does not know how to act on it." Spock stated, his tone so direct as if he were announcing that days weather forecast. "One clear sign of human sexual attraction is to look at the being that-"

"-Appeals to them. Yeah, I know. I was trained to read body language since before I was nine." Layla rolled her eyes "but between you and me _Professor_ I don't think sexual attraction is on his mind. I've seen guys checking me out and none of their stares even remotely resemble _that_"

"indeed not" Spock agreed quietly as he folded his hands in front of himself. "Is he in any of your other classes"

"Only General Diplomacy" Layla pursed her lips as she folded her arms in front of herself "He sits close by but he doesn't stare. I think because Andy's next to me-I-I mean _Cadet Hawkins_" she added when Spock's brow quirked upwards in question once more.

"And what of when you leave class? Does he follow you."

"Hard to tell." Layla grimaced "I try to blend into the crowd to lose him as quick as I can"

"I see"

There was a pause as Spock digested this, brow furrowing slightly as he mulled it all over in his head.

But when he opened his mouth to speak, there was no hint of his concern in his voice.

"Apart from Schmidt, are there any other classmates acting out of the ordinary with you?"

"Apart from the constant staring, everyone else seems pretty much normal" Layla shrugged "And believe me I've been watching everyone as closely as possible. Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong Cadet." Spock responded smoothly, but Layla could see the hardening of his brown eyes.

"It's the other augments isn't it? Is the treaty not going well?" she asked and Spock shook his head clinically.

"No, the treaty arrangements are going according to plan. As is the search for the missing ten." Spock said, but Layla was not deterred.

"It's Vera Humana isn't it? Thought so" she snorted as her eyes caught onto the Vulcan's stiffening stance. "They've sent another threat to Barnett haven't they?"

If Spock had been human, he would've sighed and shaken his head in exasperation. But with all his years of experience tempering his emotions, he merely blinked and spoke calmly.

"_Admiral_ Barnett, is under immense stress to keep the activists at bay within campus. It can only be a matter of time before they start acting out openly. He has informed me that he has positioned you and Cadet Hawkins at the Academy to infiltrate their ranks and expose them. Seeing as you and I are already familiar with one another, Captain Kirk presented me as a candidate to oversee your operation as your handler and Admiral Barnett has acquiesced"

"Right and how will that work exactly?"

"Seeing as I am your professor I will be setting you assignments for extra credit outside of class time. It is not an uncommon practice." Spock added when Layla opened her mouth to speak "Many professors encourage their best students to undertake projects outside of their usual regime. I myself mark and assess many of my advanced students in their senior year. And seeing as your marks are well above those of your other peers, you being set extra work would not be counted suspicious."

"And what kind of assignments would you have me do?"

"A thesis-" Spock stated simply as he handed her a spare datapad from his desk that he had not put into his briefcase. "-about the practices of modern Digital Encryption and decryption. Every day by twenty-two hundred hours you will submit a section of your work along with encrypted code to _support_ your research, for me to evaluate and mark. Given the lengthy nature of the assignment, I am sure you will find yourself sufficiently engaged for the much of the semester"

_Wow…who'd have thought a Vulcan could have such a sense of Irony?_

"Indeed I shall" Layla said out loud, smirking slightly as she took the machine "May I?"

Spock nodded, his fingers dancing to shut his briefcase, though his sharp eyes kept a firm gaze on the young woman examining the data pad.

"It's got Section 31 Alpha level security protocols" Layla murmured "latest in communications technology…a two way feed. Let me guess to keep an eye on me?"

"Only under emergency situations" Spock nodded as he straightened up "I will expect your first submission tomorrow at twenty-two hundred, but should you find anything suspicious before then report it at once, even if it seems trivial. Until then you are dismissed Cadet"

"Yes sir" Layla smirked and was surprised to see the smallest twitch in the Vulcan's eyebrow even as she turned her back and left the room.

Once he was alone again, Spock frowned to himself.

Was it just him or was something beeping?

He followed the source of the noise all the way up to the desk which the young Augment had sat upon.

Crouching down low, he reached his hand under the wood and with gentle fingers prized something small and flashing red.

* * *

"Ah…good it's sealed itself properly" a man's voice hissed to himself in the isolated lab.

It was just as well. He hated being crowded as he worked.

Quietly he held up the small red capsule to the light and inspected it from top to bottom before adding it to a small bottle, also filled with many red pills.

He didn't think he would need so many, but still, it couldn't hurt to have extra on hand just in case.

Especially since they were by far his finest creations to date.

* * *

"Hmm" the man sighed to himself as he screwed the lid of the glass bottle shut "Such a pity you won't be there for the test run old friend. I guess your precious little treasure will have to do then"

Jim Kirk wasn't known to be easily worried by anything. If anything he was often quite level headed and cool about most issues that came his way.

However, that had been before he'd received that chilling message on his datapad just last night.

It was one thing to hear about a stalker's message through a third party, and another to actually hear the words spoken to him. Of course he had called Admiral Pike and informed him of the situation, and of course his friend Doctor Leonard McCoy would soon know about it.

Jim's fist clenched around his scotch glass as he remembered the sneering tones of the haunting message.

_Poor Bones._ _To have his own kid targeted._

Well she wasn't exactly a kid, Jim corrected himself with a small snort. Joanna McCoy was quite a catch with her dark brown curls and dark indigo blue eyes… bouncy curves….

He shook his head out hard.

_Whoa there Jim Kirk. Pull back, that's your best friend's daughter you're talking about. An absolute no go zone. A bit like this bar._

He took a swig of his drink and looked around. The bar of this club was clean and polished and even it's countertop still had that smell of new varnish, still very much a virgin of having no blood, puke or sweat from bodies plastered all over it.

It was, Jim mused, a rare find in this bay.

A bit like the woman who had his back to him just a few seats away.

Short black hair and wearing a tight fitted indigo dress with black heels. Small but gorgeous figure and pale luminescent skin. Now if only he could see her face-

He leaned forwards as he sidled onto the barstool next to her only to choke as she turned to face him.

"Layla?!"

But it couldn't be Layla Singh. Her icy eyes were framed by smoky black and silver eyeshadow. Her nails, long and slender had dark metallic blue polish shining on them and slender large silver hoops hung off each of her earlobes, sparkling in tandem with the crescent moon necklace that hung over her low neckline.

"Hello Kirk. Nice drink?" She grinned as she watched her friend splutter on the dregs of his drink.

"What the heck are you doing here?" Jim wheezed as he took a napkin a bartender handed him and began to mop up his mouth.

"Got invited for drinks" Layla shrugged. "Jo's just in the bathroom and Andy's on his way and the others should be here in ten or so minutes"

"You came early for drinks?" Jim quirked a brow.

"I just wanted to see this place before it got packed. thanks" Layla added as the bartender handed her a glass of brown amber liquid.

Jim frowned.

"Aren't you a little young to drink that?" he hissed softly as the bartender made to serve another customer.

But Layla only grinned.

"Technically my student ID says I'm eighteen, besides" she took a sip of her whisky and grimaced as it lightly tingled down her throat "I metabolize things fast and this crap is nothing compared to what Marcus had"

"what?!" Jim almost choked on his drink again and Layla's smirk widened.

"Yep Admiral Marcus's personal stash. Hidden in a compartment at the bottom of his desk drawer. But I only got a couple of drinks from it before they…" she fell silent and took a long swig from her glass. "Well…You've seen the tapes"

"Yeah I have" Jim murmured through gritted teeth.

"The light or the heavy ones" Layla snorted.

"Is there really a difference?" he asked.

She paused and for a moment she looked much smaller, even childlike.

"I guess not-"

She blinked as she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. Her skin prickled at the contact and instinct was screaming at her to flip him over and break his arm. But her mind's mastery over her body won out and instead she turned and forced a smile over her face.

"So what brings you here _captain_? Picking up the ladies or drowning your sorrows?"

"both" Jim smirked, though she could see he wasn't convinced by her change in tack. "Nah…I just needed a break."

"Is the treaty going well?" Layla frowned quietly "I tried asking mister Spock but he just deflected."

"He has to." Jim murmured his blue eyes hardened meaningfully. "The Admiral's are keeping everything as airtight as possible because-"

"Because of my father and the missing ten" Layla grunted.

Jim sighed. Damn this girl and her quick brain.

"Yes…but Vera Humana comes at a close second. Speaking of which anything interesting happening your end? Spock seems to think you have a new shadow in his class"

"Shadow doesn't even cover it." Layla gulped gripping her glass. "He followed me again after class. And he was even there when Jo and I caught the cab here-"

"Who was there following you?"

It was a man's voice that had spoken, a very familiar young man's voice that made both augment and captain jump in surprise.

"Andy! You're here!" Layla squeaked as she felt a pair of arms wrap around her from behind.

"In the flesh" Hawke grinned into her temple, giving it a quick peck before reaching forwards with a hand towards Jim.

"Kirk"

"Hawke" Jim shook the proffered limb, smirking at the flush tinging Layla's face deep red.

He wasn't the only one amused.

"Okay who opened the cheddar in here because I sure didn't order cheese with my drinks"

"Very funny Jo" Layla rolled her eyes as Joanna McCoy stepped over to them.

Curly hair had been tied in a messy high ponytail, with purposefully stray locks framing her blue indigo eyes. She was wearing a tight pair of leather pants with a purple backless halter top half hidden under a black leather jacket that matched the black high heeled boots that went up to her knees.

Jim wondered how on earth the girl was ever related to his best friend. Then he wondered at whether his best friend even knew his daughter even looked like _that_. He reckoned he probably did know. Why else would the man ever adopt such a scary bedside manner?

Through his haze of terrified thoughts Hawke's smug smirk pierced straight into Jim's head:

"I'd love to stay and chat Kirk but I do believe I have to teach my girlfriend how to dance"

Layla then groaned something under her breath as she allowed herself to be dragged onto the dancefloor, which was just starting to get filled up by slightly tipsy patrons.

The sight was a good distraction Jim decided as he watched the pair.

He shook his head as he saw Hawke get pushed up close to her, making her blushing hard as their bodies forced to writhe against one another's to the beat that was growing louder and louder around them.

_Poor Layla._

For all her skills in martial the deadliest arts, she just was so naive about such base desires.

But Hawke wasn't.

Jim felt himself stiffen a little with apprehension as he saw the young man pressed his advantage and kissed the young girl sensually around her ear.

"Something the matter Kirk?" Jo snorted from his side, her southern accent sticking out quite distinctly even against the now loud music.

"No…it's just-" but he trailed off as he caught sight of Hawke's hands sliding down to Layla's waist.

Joanna noticed it too and nodded grimly as she sipped her drink.

"I know. I get worried too. But I find it's best to let them sort it out themselves. Lay's innocent but she's not stupid to let him push her boundaries too much"

"Does he push her boundaries often?" Jim asked, worry in his voice.

"No…but I think he wants to. It's not his fault" she added when she saw the captain's grip on his glass harden "Think about it from his perspective. He's eighteen, hormonal and been put into cryogenic sleep for a long time. The fact he's been holding himself back for as long as he has is nothing short of impressive"

"I guess if you put it that way" Jim nodded and then shook his head to himself. She was right. For a young augmented human with a very active libido, that boy was actually holding himself back extraordinarily well.

Though he could hold himself back a little more…

"And by little more do you mean from across a room?"

Jim blinked at Joanna who was quirking an eyebrow at him sternly.

Then he groaned.

"Crap I said that out loud didn't I?"

Joanna nodded.

"No. I'm not sure the settlement on Pluto heard you so you'll have to speak up"

"Ha-ha very funny" Jim sipped his drink and Joanna grinned.

"Oh relax Hon, I'm just teasing. You really care about her huh?"

"She's a good kid. A bit messed up but good" Jim nodded and in spite of himself a small smile flickered over his lips, one that Joanna reflected as they both turned back to the bar and ordered another round of drinks.

"So how's the academy been for you?" Jim asked after a couple of sips.

Joanna shrugged.

"It was kinda how I expected it to be. Though to be fair the Xeno-anthropology class definitely lives up to its reputation."

"Yeah it's a challenge alright" Jim snorted "Your dad was glad to be shot of it by the end of Semester."

"How is he by the way? My dad?" Joanna asked quietly.

"he's…okay" Jim murmured only to sigh as the younger McCoy's eyes bored down into him in that familiar burning way only a McCoy could "Okay…he's a bit stressed out at the medical centre but otherwise he's fine"

"Is it just the job or is it the…uh…_other stuff _you guys are up to?"

"It's…it's a little of both" Jim admitted then before he could stop himself he blurted out. "Joanna do you feel safe?"

"Huh?" Joanna blinked. "Safe? What are you talking about?"

Jim cursed himself.

Damn him and his big mouth.

But it was too late to turn back now.

"I mean…on Campus, when you're walking around or in your dorm. Do you feel safe?"

"Well the dorm security is pretty tight-"

"I don't mean safe like that." Jim snapped "I mean…you don't feel like you're being watched or something?"

There was a pause as Joanna frowned at him, blue eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Is someone-"

"No!" Jim cut in loudly, only to cough quickly. "No…it's just. Layla was telling me about this guy that was following her and-"

"Oh yeah that Schmidt creep" Joanna grunted as she took a long swig of her drink. "Don't know what that's about. Personally if I were her I'd just beat his face in and be done with it…but then I'd have to deal with his pals"

"And what are _they_ like?"

"Hard to tell. I've only seen them from my dorm, skulking around at night doing shit. Most of the cadets avoid them 'cause they're assholes. Word is one of them even was almost suspended last semester for getting into a brawl against a male Caitian. Nobody knows why, but apparently the fight was so brutal the Academy board got involved. Eventually the guy was suspended for the rest of the semester and kept under supervision ever since."

"And the Caitian?" Jim quirked a brow.

"Quit Starfleet, and none of his friends have seen or heard from him since"

"Damn. And none of this was reported locally?"

"With all the shit with Section 31 going on yeah right." Joanna scoffed. "I mean think about it which news story would sell more, secret organizations and intergalactic battles, or a squabble between two Academy students?"

"Point taken" Jim nodded, his eyes thoughtful as he stared over the rim of his glass and the glass that was beside it.

It wasn't Joanna's glass, he noticed quickly, but Layla's which she had left behind.

He glanced quickly over to the girl on the dance floor.

Layla was still dancing with Hawke, but for some reason her eyes looked hazy and her steps were beginning to get clunky.

_She couldn't be drunk could she? If Bones was right about her physiology, then should be metabolizing this stuff fast._

Jim quickly dipped a finger into her remaining drink and lifted it to his mouth only to spit it out at once as something very bitter coated his tongue. His eyes widened.

"Lay" he tried called over the loud music.

But Layla couldn't seem to hear him.

Jim frowned as he watched her sway slightly on her feet this time bumping into Hawke, who frowned slightly as he held her up.

"Layla you okay? Can you hear me?"

But it was no use. She had shut her eyes and sweat was beginning to bead upon her brow as she gasped for breath desperately.

"Layla!" Hawke called, his voice now wavering as desperation as his girlfriend started rasping for air desperately, her legs buckling beneath her so that she collapsed into his arms.

"That can't be good" Joanna gulped as she and Jim both leapt away from the bar and towards the younger couple, the latter keeping a firm grip on the glass in his hand.

"Hey, make way! Let them through! It's an emergency!" he shouted as Hawke lifted Layla up into his arms and carried her off the dancefloor just as one of the bouncers rushed out to meet them.

He was a big man. A very big man. The kind that Jim often found connecting their fists with his face or grasping their hands on the scruff of his collar. The kind that also talked like he was a volcano waiting to erupt.

Except this volcano seemed like he was going to erupt with worry as he looked at the poor wreck of a girl struggling to breathe in her boyfriend's arms.

"I called an ambulance from the bar they're on their way. Quick follow me"

"Thanks hon. Just hold on Lay" Joanna smoothed a hand over Layla's brow as they were all led quietly out to the back door of the club.

They had barely stepped into the cold night air as a hover-car ambulance zoomed down towards them and skidded to a stop, only just in time.

* * *

"Is it done?"

"Yes sir. The pill was administered and has been issued to the target"

"Good…Any witnesses?"

"No sir."

"And Kirk?"

"Yes he was there like you said…w-why do you ask?"

"Because…we'll need him…For phase two"

* * *

"How could you let this happen?! How could _you_ let this happen?!"

Andrew Isaac Hawkins hung his head in shame as his Lord snarled in his face.

If Jim Kirk had thought he'd ever seen Khan angry boy was he mistaken.

His pale face was whiter than chalk and his icy eyes were flashing so violently that the plants in the waiting room seemed to shrivel away.

Behind the angry augment his wife Helene sat on a chair, eyes full of tears as the tall form of her brother Ronan patted her gingerly on the shoulder, wincing as Khan growled:

"You were supposed to keep her safe. Supposed to keep a watch on her! How could _you_, YOU Hawke, not smell _a drug_ spiking _my_ daughter's drink when the scientists that created _you_ gave you the senses of a greyhound?!"

"Khan give the kid a break" Jim tried stepping forwards but Khan pointed a deadly finger at him.

"Stay out of this Kirk! This doesn't involve you"

"I'm sorry but seeing as I am a key witness to what happened it bloody hell is my business. _Khan_" Jim spat.

Khan looked as if he was about to explode, but was stopped quickly as the door to the private waiting room opened.

"Bones please tell me you have good news" Jim groaned with relief as Leonard "Bones" McCoy stepped into the room, dusting off his white coat as he glared off sleep from his eyes.

"I do…but first if you don't mind Khan I'd prefer it if you didn't put anyone else in a sickbed alright. I have enough to worry about without you hospitalizing anyone."

_Speaking so brazenly to Khan…he must be tired_

Jim gulped as he turned to Khan, whose expression was stony, but restrained as his wife grabbed his arm.

When he finally spoke his voice was strained.

"How is she?"

"Well…in layman's terms she's still out of it but stable." Leonard grunted.

"Oh thank heavens" Helene collapsed back into the chair her head in her hands.

Khan however stayed stock still.

"and the drug? What was it?" he asked a deadly hiss to his voice that made Jim's skin crawl.

"Some kind of amphetamine. Not popular amongst today's drug scene but it was quite potent" he grunted avoiding the Augment's eye and instead looked to Jim "If Jim here hadn't kept that glass we might have been too late. We were able to administer the right treatment as soon as the kid got here. To tell the truth I'm just glad she got here at all in one piece there was enough of that shit in there to kill four men. Thank goodness she only drank a small bit and not the whole lot…not that I'd know why someone would give her that much…"

He trailed off as Khan held out a hand.

Carefully he deposited the datapad into the augment's hands which quickly swiped across the screen.

He paused as he found what he was looking for, icy eyes widening.

"What?" Jim frowned. "What is it?"

"I don't believe it…" Khan breathed. And indeed for one of the few times in his life he really just couldn't believe it.

"Harulf what have you done?"

* * *

I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

long time no see everyone. and let me just say Hooray for the upcoming ST Beyond 3! Man, its' great for me because now creative juices are just beginning to flow again for this fandom. I seriously am looking forward to seeing it when it comes out.

So yeah, Layla's being put through the ringer (yet again). why is this happening? well you'll have to wait and see ;)

hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review if you like it and want more


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

"Harulf what have you done?"

The question hung in the air thickly like a dense suffocating smog as Khan handed over the datapad to his wife, who had come up beside him.

As soon as she saw the information she released a deep shuddering breath.

"I need to see her"

"She won't be awake for another few-" Leonard started to shake his head but Khan's eyes just narrowed as he snapped.

"It wasn't a request _doctor_"

Leonard sighed. Damn he hated crying women, he never really knew what to do with them. Especially if said distressed woman had a scathing husband breathing down his neck.

"Alright, alright. Fine follow me then. Jim stay with Hawkins; Joanna will be coming out soon so you can drop them both off to the dorms."

"of course" Jim nodded but already the two augments and the doctor were already striding on ahead through the doors, leaving Jim behind with Ronan and Hawke who slumped down into a chair, his head in his hands.

"Why? Why didn't I sense it sooner?" he groaned.

"Boy, it's not your fault. No one was expecting the attack from this kind of angle" Ronan sighed from where he leaned against the wall.

"Forget angle, we weren't expecting an attack at all. It seemed too soon." Jim agreed as he made to sit down beside the younger augment who shook his head.

"it doesn't matter I should have been prepared! First that guy stalking Lay in class and now this!"

Both Ronan and Jim exchanged nervous glances just as the door to the waiting room opened, and Joanna McCoy slouched through.

She was still wearing her clothes from the club, under a white doctor's coat which she quickly shed as she slumped onto Jim's other side.

"Well, she's crashed completely now. Dad and her ma and pa are all in there with her. From the looks of things she'll be out like a light for a while. Dad said to head back to the dorms and wait for news there." She added to Hawke who scowled softly.

"And if she wakes up-"

"Khan wants to speak to her first" Joanna cut across him with a shudder. "but given the stress her body has been under; she probably won't awaken till tomorrow afternoon anyway. And if we do meet her, it would probably be better if we were well rested first"

"…I'll be in the restroom" Hawke snarled and stormed out quickly. Ronan followed his thin pointed face grim.

Once both were out of the room, Joanna sighed heavily.

"Man…what a day…and I still have to go back and finish off an assignment!"

"And I've got to hand in a report" Jim snorted though his smile was quick to fade as she yawned widely.

"So she's really okay?"

Joanna nodded.

"The drug's out of her system and her body is accepting the cure and forming its own antibodies. All we can do now is wait and keep an eye on her condition."

But even as she said this Jim saw that she wasn't looking too overjoyed.

Not that he could blame her.

* * *

The house was dark. The furniture all turned over, the glass shards of a few broken windows only visible thanks to the reflections cast by the moon hovering low in the sky.

However, despite the chaotic setting, the air was chilled and quiet, the world holding its breath in anticipation, as a dark haired man struggled to his hands and knees.

"N-no Chim-" he wheezed his desperate streaming eyes looking up pleadingly into the face of the shadow that towered over him.

In its arms a baby boy was wailing furiously, eyes streaming with frightened tears.

It wailed still louder as it's carrier, jammed a phaser against his small blonde head of hair.

"No Stop!" the man on the floor begged "Stop! I did what you wanted! I gave you her blood! Now let my boy go! Please I beg of you!"

"You beg of me Weiss?" the shadow sneered. "you of all people _beg_. My goodness has this twenty-third century has made you go soft"

A boot suddenly kicked out and hit the man on the floor squarely in the jaw. He hit the ground with a thud that made his infant son whimper louder and struggle harder as he was dragged with the shadow into the darkness.

"Please pass on my regards to Lord Khan."

"No-wait-stop-Chim!"

* * *

The lights were flashing, a body writhing against her own and a voice hissing worriedly into her ears over the pounding of a deep base.

"Layla you okay? Can you hear me? Layla!"

Those were some of the last words she could clearly hear as she felt her legs buckle beneath her.

Then they were not on the ground and her head lolled loosely against a strong chest.

She could hear the frantic muffled voices calling out to her as the many coloured lights flashed overhead, a cacophony of colour so distorted she had to close her eyes to stop herself from feeling sick.

Then suddenly she felt her body be wrapped up securely, legs out stretched as if she were lying down.

All around her the voices lowered to deep unfamiliar tones, and as she opened her eyes she was vaguely aware of the roof of a car swaying slightly above where she lay.

Or was it her swaying?

Everything was too blurry…save the feeling of someone's large hand grabbing at her wrist and the familiar jab and sting of something small against her skin.

Then a voice whispered, deep and gravelly and sad and something wet and salty fell onto her cheek from above.

"Please forgive me lord Khan. Please forgive me…please…"

_Forgive you?_

Layla thought as her eyelids drooped with exhaustion.

_But who are you?_

* * *

"ugh…"

"Layla?"

"Hold it stay back, just give her a second.

The _her _in the bio bed winced as a light suddenly flashed into being above her eyes.

"w-who" she rasped, her voice sounding as gravelly as if she'd never drunk a drop of water in her life.

She heard a rough male voice give a muffled sigh from somewhere above her.

"Pupils are responding normally. Hearing should be coming back soon"

"McCoy…" she breathed only to cringe as she began coughing hard.

"Whoa easy girl, easy." The older doctor murmured in his gruff but soft tones as he gently pushed her back into the pillows beneath her head.

"I'm na'a horse y'know" she slurred but Leonard only snorted.

"Yeah, you're more of a wild yearling."

"thaz-still an equine"

Leonard "Bones" McCoy sighed heavily as the young girl glowered blearily up at him. Usually when someone woke up from heavy sedation they wouldn't be so alert so quickly. But then again Layla Serena Singh was no ordinary girl.

Indeed, the longer he checked her for physical signs of impairment, the more he found less and less wrong with her. Yes, the drug had addled her body sufficiently enough to leave her exhausted and drained of all energy, but the rest of her organs and brain function appeared to be reverting quickly back to optimum levels.

He leaned back quietly allowing her to look past him as she gingerly turned her head to look past him and into the pale worried faces of both her parents.

Helene was the first by her side, tears trickling down her face as she wiped at her daughter's sweaty brow.

"Oh Layla. We-we're so sorry"

"Mom" Layla pouted as a searing kiss was planted on her forehead. "I'm fine. I'm okay. And it's not your fault so stop crying"

"Argh! Chip of the old block. So stubborn when you're sick" Helene hiccupped but she wiped her eyes as Khan reached forwards and put a hand on her shoulder.

Layla looked up to him and was alarmed to see that he too was looking shaken and pallid, though he held his fear in check behind a stiff jaw.

"How are you feeling?" he asked quietly, his hand reaching out to hold her smaller one carefully.

It would have looked like such a tender moment, but Layla could feel his fingers sliding around searching for her pulse, which was now, thankfully, steady.

"I could be worse" She managed a small smile up at him and was relieved to see his lips quirk upwards briefly. "What happened?"

There was an uncomfortable pause in which Khan glanced briefly at McCoy who after a small pause and a gulp, nodded quietly.

"You have just woken up from heavy sedation-" Khan began, but Layla just rolled her eyes.

"I know that. But why? What was wrong with me? Last I remember clearly I was with Hawke at _The Growl_ and…and…" she trailed off her eyes widening to the size of saucepans.

"Layla" Khan's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she opened her mouth and sucked in a sharp breath.

"Harulf! That f-ing sunovabitch" she hissed, the sound as venomous and scathing as an angry cat. "he drugged me! Drugged me then took my blood-"

"Yes he did" Leonard nodded, releasing a huge breath of relief only to have it stripped from him in an instant "Wait take your blood?! When-"

"-In the ambulance" Layla grunted softly "or at least someone did."

"Did you see their face?" Khan's voice was quiet, but cold, as if made from sharpest ice. All who heard it shuddered, including his wife and Leonard.

Layla however was too caught up in her own thoughts to notice.

"No…" she said finally after a full minute. "No I didn't see a face…but I felt the hypo…and I heard a voice."

"male or female?" Khan asked, still in those same chilling tones.

"Male. Definitely male…but..." And at this her frown softened immensely. "But I don't think he wanted to hurt me."

There was a pause in which both Khan and Helene exchanged worried glances and Leonard's brow furrowed in confusion.

"What makes you say that?" he asked slowly, his anxiety mounting as he saw the young girl open her mouth to answer.

"Because he was begging for father to forgive him"

"What?" Khan blinked.

"Yeah. It was totally weird" Layla nodded "he just kept saying 'Please forgive me lord Khan. Please forgive me.' And then he was crying over me and then I blacked out."

"he was crying?"

Again another round of glances between her visitors and physician.

Layla scowled.

"How long have I been out of it?" she grunted up at Leonard who coughed quickly to disguise his disquiet.

"Nearly a whole twenty-four hours. The amphetamine that you ingested took a while even for your regenerative abilities to repel from your system. Now it's just a case of physically _expelling_ the last traces of it from your system"

"Okay… and how would I go about physically _expelling _it?" Layla gulped only to groan as the doctor reached down and took out a large bucket and a hypospray filled with a slightly blue translucent liquid.

This was just not her day.

* * *

"So…Ericsson has recruited one of the missing ten?"

"It would seem so sir" Jim Kirk nodded as he faced Admiral Christopher Pike, who frowned grimly as he gingerly took a seat behind his desk, motioning to Jim to follow suit.

"And Layla? How is she holding up?"

"Well according to Bones I-I mean Doctor McCoy" Jim coughed cursing himself and his tired brain as he slouched a little where he now sat. "She's awake and stable. She just needs to uh…throw up the rest of the crap in her system"

"poor kid. And on her first week too." Pike stroked his chin, his blue-grey eyes hardening slightly as he looked upon his younger charge "And Khan? What was his reaction to everything so far?"

"Hard to tell." Jim admitted softly. "He was pretty pissed at Hawkins for not being able to keep her out of trouble. But as for how he views Starfleet now…I don't really know. But if I had to guess I'd say he's just too worried about Layla to even think about firing off at us"

"Added to the fact that he's indebted to you as well." Pike murmured a small smirk playing on his lips as Jim looked up at him in confusion. "If I didn't know any better, I'd go so far as to say part of Khan might just be holding out on his anger not only because of his love for his daughter…but as a sign of trust towards you"

"Or his old friend Tiberius" Jim grunted but Pike shook his head.

"Tiberius Kirk is dead Jim. Has been dead for nearly three hundred years. You exist here in the present, and it is your actions now that have played a significant role in even opening up dialogue for a treaty that no one would have ever thought possible. Khan knows this. And even if he doesn't say it out loud I can tell he holds you in high respect as an ally. As does the kid. Jim, it doesn't take an augmented superior mind to see that you care for her. It doesn't even take a half intelligent mind to see that your actions in regards to her wellbeing have saved her life more than once and in more than one way."

Jim pursed his lips. Barely a few months ago he would have lapped up the praise like an excitable dog that had just fetched the moon for its master. He would have basked in his glory and cockily declared in mock modesty that his achievement was easily achieved.

Now however, he found himself feeling shame bubbling in his gut. Shame because it was his previous arrogance and ignorance that had caused the terrible events that in turn had made those achievements possible.

"With all due respect Chris." He gulped finally after a long pause "I believe it's more the other way around. If it weren't for Layla, neither I nor Khan would ever be able to even work together let alone stand in the same room at all. She's a good kid. She's got heart and spirit, and yeah she has a few issues, but with the right training and the right help from the right people, she could be something-something-"

"Something great?" Pike sighed heavily.

"Jim I am glad you have learned of the virtue of humility, but be careful you don't start confusing it with shame and under-confidence. Whether you see it or not, you are one of the _right people _Layla Singh needs, and it will be up to you to help her grow and mature. It won't be easy, and sometimes it will feel like she's drifting too far down the wrong path for you to reach. But if you are patient and never give up on her, the rewards will certainly be worth it and she'll make you proud…just as proud as I am of you."

Jim felt his ears go red as he looked into the eyes of his old mentor. The pride in those blue-grey orbs was so warm it could melt the polar ice caps, even though Pike kept it all schooled behind a small victorious smirk.

After-all it wasn't every day someone managed to make Jim Kirk speechless.

* * *

To say Layla was nervous to be going back to her Academy classes in the middle of the week was an understatement.

Truth be told she was more than terrified at how much muttering was going to happen now.

It had been bad enough last week, what with her new reputation as the young genius of her year group.

Now she would have the victim of drug spiking to add to that list.

_I wonder just how much of a damsel in distress I'm gonna look?_

She gulped as she quietly followed Joanna down to breakfast, letting the older girl fuss over her and all the work she had missed out on so far.

Not that any of it really mattered much to her. During her two days of rest (after throwing up the rest of that vile drug from her system) she had received a message from Commander Spock, detailing all the homework she had and would miss out on, in addition to notes made by Joanna, Hawke and even a couple of sympathetic classmates.

Layla had been surprised, but glad at the gesture, as now she was not sitting bored out of her mind in a bio bed with nothing more than her father's followers for company.

It wasn't as if their conversations weren't engaging, but Khan and McCoy had both been adamant about letting her physically excite her body so soon.

Even now as she took her seat next to Hawke in the mess hall for breakfast, she was being forced to sit down quietly as Joanna hopped up to get food, people staring unabashedly at her from other tables, murmuring and pointing as surreptitiously as they could.

"You okay?" Hawke murmured in her ear as he granted her his usual morning peck on the forehead.

"Fine. Just excited to eat actual food" she smiled softly as she leaned into his side.

"How are you? I heard father's been grilling you badly since Friday"

"As he should" Hawke bristled uncomfortably, his grip tightening around her shoulder slightly "I screwed up in my duties. I was supposed to keep on the look out to keep you safe. Instead I let myself get distracted."

"What can I say, I'm quite the distraction"

Layla didn't know what had made her say it. All she knew was that she couldn't bear to see his face looking so forlorn and guilty and that she didn't want to see him looking like that again.

Needless to say she was glad to see her boyfriend actually gawk a little down at her in surprise as she leaned up to kiss a point just under his ear. But the moment of victory was short lived as with a swift move, he cupped her cheek and brought her mouth to his in a searing kiss.

"Seriously Hawkins, if you wanted to snog your girlfriend, couldn't you wait till after breakfast!" a voice called and both Layla and Hawke jumped round to see a dark human male and a Caitian male with a long ginger mane, both smirking as they sat themselves down on the opposite end of the table.

"Oh come now Louis," the Caitian chuckled in a deep throaty but soothing voice. "Let them enjoy the morning while it lasts. Rumour has it that the higher ups are arranging an assembly for this afternoon."

"An assembly? For what?" Layla frowned curiously, but the Caitian only shrugged.

"I do not know. I only heard there was an assembly. The name's Sharoo. And you I take it are the famous Layla McGivers" He added extending a furry hand to Layla who shook it, vaguely reminded of the feel of her pet cat Hubble's paws. Damn she missed that critter, but she squashed her wistfulness down swiftly as she let go of Sharoo's hand and snorted sardonically.

"Famous? You make me blush"

"Don't worry we only heard the good things" Louis grinned as he too extended a hand. "Louis Strongarm. Helm/Navigations major. My friend Sharoo here is in Communications. And you McGivers"

"Not yet gotten there but I hope to start an Intelligence major next semester" Layla stated, only to feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

She turned to face the source, only to see a table of nervous seniors quickly turn away to murmur in a huddle.

With a sigh she turned back, only to see Sharoo's sympathetic stare.

"It does take some getting used to doesn't it?" He rumbled in his purring feline voice.

"Sure does" Layla grumbled "Will it ever stop?"

"Doubtful, I have been here for a semester and people still stare at us when we walk together to class" Sharoo murmured but Louis grinned.

"Only because they are in awe of my handsome face"

"Sure they are Louis sure" Hawke smirked as with a roguish wink to Layla he reclined back in his chair and ran a hand through his short white blonde locks.

"Woah hold up on the supermodel poses birdbrain before you poke someone's eye out" A new voice piped in and everyone looked up to see Joanna standing there with two trays in her hands.

"My dad told me you'd need to take it easy on the food so I got you some soup."

"And here I thought I'd actually get to eat something" Layla scowled, even as she took the plate.

"Keep that down and maybe I'll let you have some bread with it next time" Joanna grinned wickedly as she received a scathing glower in return.

All three of the men around them chuckled as they sat down to eat, not noticing the lone figure in the table behind them slip away like a shadow.

* * *

"So…one of our own did this"

"Yes. They did"

"But who-"

"I don't know! But rest assured I will make them pay for this crime."

Ronan sighed heavily as his leader and brother in law turned his back and stalked off to stand over the kitchen countertop.

He had been like this all morning ever since his daughter had returned back to Starfleet last night. Raging around in a foul temper, shouting in impatience, murmuring darkly about revenge and payment under his breath. Even Helene hadn't been able to soothe his mind as he worriedly paced the apartment for hours at a time like a tiger prowling around it's cage.

Not that Ronan could blame him.

After all his daughter had almost died a few days ago and no one had spotted hide nor hair of the perpetrator.

And speaking of the culprit…

"Lord Khan…perhaps we should consider your daughter's account of what happened before we jump to any conclusion. If what she says is true then it may be possible that the culprit might just be as much a victim as she is, if not more so."

The murderous gleam in Khan's eyes softened slightly at the mention of his child and it was with a slightly gentler tone that he addressed his loyal follower.

"I have already taken that into consideration Ronan. Believe me I have, but can you not see just how much worse that makes the situation. Can you not see how despicable it is that someone has coerced one of our own people into destroying ourselves?"

"Yes but raging on without proof is going to get us nowhere" Ronan sighed heavily before turning to face the lounge behind him "and neither is sitting and sulking going to do the trick either sister"

"I am not sulking. I'm analysing. And I would be able to concentrate better if you both stopped bickering like two old women" the feminine voice of Helene snapped waspishly from one of the chairs where she sat with a datapad in her hands.

"What are you analyzing?" Khan strode over to his wife only to frown as he caught sight of the information on the page.

"Personal data files?"

"Of the missing ten" Helene drawled as she clicked backwards through the folders. "Of all of them only two would most likely have reason to be coerced by Harulf to join his fold."

She clicked on two of the folders with a finger each and opened them.

Khan's eyes widened, though with fury or shock it was hard to tell anymore.

* * *

"Good god what a day" Layla groaned softly as she sat herself down on her bed.

It was the end of the academy day, and she was alone. Apparently Leonard McCoy had demanded her hand to hand fighting instructor, Lieutenant Commander Giotto, to not let her participate in any strenuous physical exercise for at least a week.

This included being locked out of pretty much every gym on campus too.

Hence why she was now trying to kill time alone and secured in her dorm while Joanna went to quickly pick up some snacks from the vending machine downstairs, her mind mulling over what she had just heard at the assembly held straight after lunch.

The whole academy board had been present and had stared the student body down as Admiral Barnett addressed them all with some very grim news.

A Starfleet Cadet reported missing a few days ago had just recently turned up dead, his body lying in the San Francisco bay, just barely a kilometre away from the club Layla had just visited last Friday.

The victim was, in the most morbidly curious form of fate, the very Caitian cadet Joanna had once told her about when trying to warn her about her stalker Schmidt.

Schmidt…

Layla shuddered as she remembered the man's keen stare on the back of her head during the assembly.

She still wasn't quite sure of what to make of him.

A jackass maybe, but a murderer…

_Could be more than one person._

She reasoned in her head as she rested her head on her pillow and shut her eyes.

_He does hang out with a rather rough crowd. One of them could be responsible…_

But who?

Something cold wrapped around her mouth and her eyes flew open.

"What the-" she squeaked, her arms thrashing out and flailing about her.

But whoever was holding her mouth was fast to grab her arms…but not fast enough to grab her legs.

With a sharp flick her foot struck backwards into her captor's stomach, sending them flying back off of her and onto the floor where they struggled to all fours.

In the instant they released her, Layla was on her feet, the pocket knife she had taken to hiding under her pillow held out ready to strike as she lunged for her opponent straddling them and pinning them to the floor.

"Wait stop! Stop milady! I can explain"

There was a pause as Layla looked down upon her attacker, her eyes finally seeing his face.

He appeared to be in his mid to late thirties, dark haired and browed, and tanned skin. His dark eyes were pinpricks of surprise as he looked up at her in shock.

But his surprise was nothing compared to Layla's.

For as his face came into view, her hand stilled against the point she had been prepared to slice at his neck and her hands let go of the ones she had pinned up above his head.

She knew that face.

She knew it from the countless times she had spent studying the list of her father's followers.

One of the missing ten.

And, if the records were to be believed, one of her father's most trusted men.

"Joaquin Weiss?"

* * *

TADAA! I'm back! with a vengeance! LOLZ

but seriously i am glad to get back into the swing of this fandom, especially since ST:Beyond came out. I just saw it last weekend and i'm still super stoked and pumped with new inspiration for where i want this fic to go X)

anyways hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and keep reviewing if you want more 3


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